The Choices We Make
by 2 Sided coiN
Summary: Some call it a mistake, referring to it as a tragic account, yet others recall it as a heroic tale of sorts. But to me, it is just the story of my life, of me, Cammie Daae. This is my tale and the sacrifice I made.C/Z slight B/G


Some call it a mistake, referring to it as a tragic account, yet others recall it as a heroic tale of sorts. But to me, it is just the story of my life, of me, Cammie Daae. To me, it is nothing of special sorts, but then again, who am I to say that it is a story of greatness or not? So let me tell you of the past events and allow you to make your own choice in the matter.

I'll start from the beginning. The year was calculated by the year of the reigning high priestess, Lady Aveda the Wise. She was the leader and comforter of my people, the Mesuin, and the threat to our foes, the Hesrah. Our two people were mortal enemies of the time and would stop at nothing to destroy one another. It was a way of life, one that we, the Mesuin, were in the right, while the Hesrah were birthed from sin. It was a common sense, nothing more and nothing less and Lady Aveda made sure that all of the people understood that. Looking back now, I can understand where she was coming from and what she was trying to do. But hind sight is twenty-twenty, and I did not see that then; not while I was at the age of seventeen years. That was when I was finishing off my training to be the next Tenth Priestess of Mesuin. I still laugh at my foolishness that I had then, and the great stubborn child I was. I can hardly believe that Lady Aveda had the patience to take me in and raise me as her own.

See, when I was younger, my mother abandoned me at the front gate of the High Starr Temple, the one where only the priestesses were allowed to enter. So Lady Aveda, still considered a novice at the time, took me in and raised me to the young woman I was hoping to be. From her I learned the ways of the world and how I was just one of the many in it. I also learned the daily duties that a priestess had to perform, but I believe I got that from being raised in a convent and living with the other novices.

I still laugh till this day on how I was the "precious" child that so many tended for. Even more so, I laugh when I remember the day I first meet my best friend, Bex. She had just been brought to the temple and her family was hoping that the priestesses would accept her into our world, one where she was safer from the war-torn town that they lived in. She was the rowdy age of six, and I was the year younger, and immediately I took to her. I cannot say for sure what it was; it could have been her midnight, dark hair, or her fierce brown eyes. But Lady Aveda will argue, and say that Bex and I had matching auras, so the Sister Goddesses, Destiny and Fate, put us together. Still though, when our eyes meet we knew that we could not be separated from that moment on. So, in a way, you could say it was I who helped Bex get into the convent. Well, that is after that I begged Lady Aveda to let her in so we could play together. Laughing, she went to the High Priestess of the time, Lady Marcun, and asked, "…_To reconsider the child. She had done no wrong. She simple was born to close the raiding Hesrah. Her parents merely want a safe place to put her_."

After much consideration, High Priestess Marcun allowed Bex in, and the two of us have been together since, being raised by the elder priestesses of their ways. And there were no problems between the two of us, unless you count the child squabble that would sometimes happen. But other than that, there was none to see, until the eighth reigning year of Lady Aveda. It was the period when a new ruler was taking control of Hesrah, so much more fighting was going on between the two peoples and an internal one as well in Hesrah. By then Bex was a young lady of eighteen and I was seventeen. This is where our troubles began; Bex did not wish to become a full pledge Priestess of the Sisters, but wished to remain a commoner, for she had fallen in love with a captain from the local platoon in the town of Wershings, the one that surrounded the Starr Temple, where we the priestesses lived. I on the other hand, had always thought that we would always be together and become priestess as well. And so when we will cut into the day that Bex told me she was leaving…

"Are you crazy?" I practically yelled at my friend.

She merely shook her head at me, expecting my reaction. "Cammie, no I am not. If you think about it all, it all makes a sort of universal sense."

"Sense? What kind of sense are you thinking of? I thought that the whole reason you were here in the convent was to stay away from soldiers and war! But now you are talking as if you want to embrace it! I am so sorry, but I just do not understand it." I said as I picked up my bow and arrow for archery practice, a skill the priestesses saw as a value and art, well that, and sword wielding, dagger flinging and other sorts of weapon implement.

Following me out to the side court yard for practice, Bex grabbed her own bow and arrows and ran after me. "You know, there is more to this world that just this temple, right?" She said as she finally caught up to me and lined up her own weapon to launch it at a target. _Fuuuem_, thwack. Bex hit her target beautifully, right in the middle of the bull's eye.

I looked her in the eye before I put my own arrow with my bow and took a shot. _Fuuuem_, snap. Instead of aiming for my own target a few feet in front of me, I shot my arrow at her target and splintered her arrow that was in the bull's eye. "Well, if you are reading into the universal signs, then what does my arrow tell you?" I asked sarcastically as I loaded up another arrow.

Bex raised her eyebrows, "I am picking up a sense of angry and frustration and a hint of an annoyed girl." She turned her head to look at me as I glared at her; she just smiled. "I bet you can't do tha-" _Fuuuem_, snap. I hit the arrow again and splintered it. This time, it was Bex's turn to glare at me. "You know, you could have at least let me finish my sentence before you shot off an arrow. Besides, I don't even understand why you practice as much as you do; you have always been good with the bow and arrow, and daggers, and the sword."

I smirked at her, "So you already made your decision, haven't you? You really are going to leave the convent and try to get with your precious captain?" I knew that I wouldn't be able to convince Bex once she made up her mind. Once she set a goal, you couldn't take deterred her from it, unfortunately. And I really didn't mind if she went off with the captain, I mean, he was a childhood friend of ours when we were younger. The three of us sort of grew up together and stayed that way until Grant was called in for training. He came back recently, after a two year span. And when he first saw us, well, he only really saw Bex, which I was fine by. I just wished I could have had a word of congratulations in before the two of them went off with each other.

She looked down, "Not try, Cammie. It's more like, _have_." Then she gracefully brought her hand up to her neck and brought out a chain, and on it was a single gold ring with a small jewel in the middle, an amethyst. "He already asked me to marry him, Cammie, and I said yes."

Completely speechless, I turned around and left. I ignored the calls Bex sent my way and headed for my room. Once there, I found the solace that I desired, but not so much the peace that I had hope would come with. So I curled up in my futon bed and laid there for what seemed like an eternity. '_How could have done this to me_.' I screamed in my head. '_I knew she did not always agree with the ways of a priestess, but is she really that desperate to escape this place? I mean, can she really go with that man, the one that claims that he loves her?_' I shook my head as if to gather my thoughts. '_Bex has always had a good head on her shoulders, even High Priestess Aveda agrees with that. Maybe I am just being ridiculous. She is my best friend after all, so if this is what she wants then so be it. I will be there with her when she makes her statement to the Council of Elders._'

And so I went to Bex and explained it to her. I told her how I thought that we would always be with each other, since the Goddesses brought us together. But I also explained that it was her decision to make and not mine to stop her, since in fact she was never really chosen to take on the responsibilities of a priestess. We hugged after that, and then headed for the Council of Elders, which was a group of elected elder priestess that could no longer perform their duties to the people, but they could still help in solving disturbances and help set up support teams to local areas that were raided.

Standing in front of the Council made me nervous, but I could only image what it was doing to poor Bex.

"_State the reason for you being in here_." came a booming voice from the dark side of the Councilors' room, up on a platform consisting of layered stairs, where the elders sat in full regal garb. Stepping forward, Bex bowed before the elders and kept her head lowered as she spoke, "_I, Bex Dei, have come to the most reverend elders to plead with them for my discharge of the Priestess of the Starr Temple. I have heard the Goddess speak, and this is not where I am to continue my destiny in this sacred place_." She then went silent, waiting for their judgment: whether she would be able to leave with honor, or disgrace by the means of running away.

After an eternal minute, the council spoke to her, "_If what you say is true, when you say that the Goddess has spoken to you, then you are free to leave, for you were never truly committed here, unlike that dark shadow over there in the corner_." spoke an elder, who I recognized to be Lady Marcun, as she looked in my direction of where I was hidden. "_But if you choose the path, and later discover that it is not the one for you, then we will welcome you back, for you are one of us, whether through birth or right, you are one of us._" Then Lady Marcun stepped down from the Elders' platform and gave Bex a small hug, but the old woman was looking at me the whole time, as if she knew something at the time that I did not; somehow, though, I think she really did.

Three weeks from that date flew by, and it would soon be time for Bex to leave with her fiancé, Captain Grant. She would have left sooner, so she could return to her home and tell her family the good news of her marriage to be, but Grant had to go on a tour near the meeting edge of Hesrah and Mesuin to take care of a small disturbance. Everyone thought nothing of it, and expected him no longer than two weeks. So it was a little nerve-racking when we entered into the third week and we still had not heard from him.

"Why have we yet to hear from Grant? I mean, he even said that the tour would not take that long!" worried Bex as she paced about her room. I simply sat on her futon and watched her go at it. "Honestly, Cammie, what do you think? I mean, do you think he still loves me, or ran off with some bimbo?"

Laughing at her, I patted to the spot beside me. There she sat down and I wrapped my arm around her as she laid her head on my shoulder. "I believe that Grant would be with you in a heartbeat, rather in the scummy area that he is in now. But, alas, the boy knows what his duty is and must fulfill it, and for that, Bex, you should be grateful that he does, otherwise, I would not allow him to marry you. Because if he did not know his place in the ranks, then how can anyone expect to know it when he has a wife?"

Bex smiled at me, "Thank you, so much. You have always been there for me, and yet through all of this time, I have yet to find a time that you were in need of my help. How can that be?"

I hugged her, "Because the Goddess does not deem it worthy, or at least for now she does not. And you should be grateful that I do not need your help, because you may very well have to do the dishes after the annual Festival of the Starrs to save me from perils of destruction!"

"Oh no, I would definitely let the 'perils of destruction' take you if it meant that I had to wash all of those dishes." Bex laughed out. "Besides, I do believe that only the novice priestesses are allowed to do those."

"That maybe true, but what if?" I laughed out in a challenge.

With a look, Bex jumped up from the futon, "Then, as I said before, I will let your butt to the foes, if it meant I got out of the dishes!"

I jumped up as well and grabbed a broom that we had been using earlier to clean with. "Well, you should get use to washing the dishes, for you will be a house wife soon, and all you will ever do for poor Captain Grant, is to do his dishes!" And I quickly swung the broom handle at her.

"So you attack me with a broom? All because I refuse to do some dishes to save your life?" she laughed out as she picked up an old practice sword.

I took another swing at her, "It's the principle of the matter!" And so our battle began, as we started off in her room and ended up down the hall, through the kitchen and out into the main court yard where we eventually fell from our laughter. Unfortunately though, our laughter would not last. For later that day, Bex receive a letter, informing her of Grant' capture by the enemy Hesrah.

So after she received it, Bex shut herself up in her room, allowing no one to see her. For three days and nights, she spoke to no one and refused all meals that were offered to her. Not even I, her best friend, could coax her out. On the fourth day, by midday, I was found out in the side court yard, examining the horrid letter that destroyed my friend. "I cannot believe what horrid people would do such a thing." I mumbled to myself, as I sat under a willow tree, hiding me from the rest of passer-bys.

"_Are you sure that it is the people that are to be blamed for one's actions_?" came a familiar voice from my side. Looking up, I saw Lady Aveda.

Standing up quickly & bowing to the proper length, I said, "High Priestess Aveda, forgive me for my abnormal behavior. It is just that I have never been affect so closely before by the Hesrah. I mean, I know that I have repair houses and delivered food and such things to the victims, I have just never known one before the incident had occurred."

Smiling, High Priestess Aveda sat down by the tree. "You know, just because I am the high priestess does not mean you have to treat me so." So patted the spot where I had been previously sitting. "I once raised you as my own, so we have a closer bond than most others here have ever had. But then again, most have not had a childhood friend quite like you either."

I popped an eyebrow at her. "What are you getting at, Aveda?" I asked, even though I had a slight idea at what she really was.

"I am just saying that you and Bex have been very close friends. Sometimes, it is hard to tell you girls apart, especially at a distance." Then the older woman got up from her seat and started to walk off. "I know for a fact that you are willing to do anything for her, but the question is, can you live with the consequences?" And then she was gone.

'_That was no help to me what so ever, Aveda._' I thought to myself as I looked back down to the letter again, knowing how much pain it caused Bex. And then it hit me, everything that Aveda had said, and I finally understood what I had to do. I would take Bex's place!

That night, under the cloak of darkness, I snuck out to the stables dressed in commoner clothing, and saddled a horse. From there, I walked the horse to the back entrance of the convent and silently got on. Then I rode the edge of Mesuin and the beginning of Hesrah, which was estimated to be about a three days trip by walking. But if you had a healthy horse and packed lightly, then your trip could be cut down immensely. There, I hoped to find what I was looking for; too bad I did not know what 'it' was.

By day break, I had just crossed over into the beginnings of Hesrah territory that once belonged to Mesuin. There, I noticed, was mostly waste land and barren ground. I hardly saw any vegetation, and if I did, it as a thirsty brown. Gulping slightly, for I soon realized that this was the farthest that I have ever been from the convent alone. So not trusting myself to look back, I kept going forward, hoping to reach the Hesrah's main palace before twilight. So pulling up my commoner's hood once more, I grabbed the reigns with one hand and set off. But it was what was in my other hand that truly led me to where I was to go; a simple necklace that held Bex's ring.

Around the time of late afternoon, I came across the town of Jnita, the town that held Pyph Palace, where the Hesrah's ruler was. Gulping once more, I slid off my horse and maneuvered my way towards the palace stables. I ran into little conflict, most of the people kept to themselves with lowered eyes and bowed heads.

When I finally reached the stables, I found a small boy that looked around the age of nine. "Excuse me, would you mind tending to my horse for me?" I asked with all the strength I could muster. The boy looked at me, not quite sure what to make of me. "I am sorry, did I offend you?" I spoke once more, finding it easier the second time.

The boy shook his head, "No, no trouble. I am just surprised that you did not command me to take care of you horse."

"Well, the way that I was raised, I was supposed to ask politely if I ever needed anything, never to demand the desired object from another." I replied, giving a small smile. "I can even pay you if you like, since you are going through the trouble to watch the beast. But don't expect much, because I do not have much."

The boy smiled back, "I'll gladly watch 'em for you and you don't even have to pay. Just see you being nice to me an' stuff is good enough for me. By the way, I'm Newt." And Newt stuck out his hand.

"Well, Newt, it is a pleasure to meet you." I smiled as I took his hand and shook it. "Now that that is settled, there is a question I would like to ask."

Jumping up from his barrel seat, Newt took the horse's reigns and led him to the stable. "What would you like to know?"

I bit my lip, "How would I get a conference with the Royals of Hesrah?"

"I think that that is a bad idea. There have been many rumors about the Royals up there." Newt pointed to a high palace window. "So if that is the reason you are here, then I suggest that you leave immediately."

I shook my head at the boy, "No, I have to have a conference with the Royals; it is of very important business. So, please, Newt, tell me where I need to go."

Newt looked long and hard at me before he replied, "Alright, I'll take you, but if something should happen, then I better not get blamed for it."

"I promise, I will not blame you for anything. If anyone is to get the blame, well, let's just not go there just yet." I said as I followed Newt into the gated entrance of the castle.

Newt led me in through the old kitchen entrance, thinking that it would be easier for me to get an audience with the Royals. "Not many people come this way, so hopefully no one will see us and try to stop us." Explained Newt as we silently made our way through a maze of twist and turns that eventually led us to what appeared to be a main hall. Its walls were made of pearly marble and light grey stones. And every few feet stood either a guardsman or a family statue of some sort. "Just go down this hall and make a right at the end. There you should find the audience room and a Royal."

Not looking at Newt, I nodded my head in understanding and walked on. Newt gave me a quick "good luck" before he took off to where he had came.

Following Newt's simple instructions, I found myself looking up at an engraved oak door. It stood tall and mighty in front of my, with golden knobs that had faces of beast on then, growling at me to go back to Mesuin and forget my stupid plan. Gathering my courage, or what was left of it, I glared at the beast and put my hand on them and entered through the door.

When I entered through the door, I found a the sum of the Royal guard equaling to seven; three on the right, three on the left, and one to the left of the single Royal in the room. On the right of the Royal was what appeared to be the Royal Chancellor. And there in the center of the room was the head Royal- a young man of early twenties with a dark look in his eyes.

"Who are you?" the Royal boomed out at me. Surprised, I jumped before I took a step forward, realizing that it was time to set the hard part of my plan into action.

"I am Bex Dei, the fiancé of Captain Grant of Mesuin." I stated to the Royal. He in turn gave me a confused look. "Captain Grant is a prisoner of yours that was recently captured by your guards out on post on the eastern border of Hesrah and Mesuin. "

"Oh, yes. I remember that one." He chuckled lightly. "I was there day of his capture. You can rest assure that he put up good a fight, but sadly enough, he still lost. So I guess I can assume that you are here to plead for his life and send him home to you and your pathetic people, how quaint." He mumbled the last part out.

I took another step forward. "No, I am not here to take him away and leave you here with no prisoner that would not be fair to you. In fact, I am here to exchange Captain Grant' life for my own."

Finally catching his attention, the Royal set up and turned to look at me, and this was the first time I was actually able to see his face where it wasn't hidden in the shadows. He had a young face, but it was stern and hard, but handsome. And his eyes were a diamond blue that stood out against his dark curls that he kept back in a simple tie that reached the bottom of his neck. His apparel was dark too, consisting of a pair of pants and a dark shirt that skipped a button or two from the top. And his boots matched the remaining of his attire. "Did I hear you right, maid. You wish to give up your life for this, this man? Am I correct in hearing you say that?" he looked eager, yet confused.

I nodded my head slowly, "Yes, I wish to exchange Captain Grant' freedom in place of my own. I see no wrong in it; so long you still have a prisoner in your cell to torture and starve."

The Royal appeared taken aback by my harsh words, but probably for the fact that he knew they rung true. "You have quite a tongue on you, but I see no harm in the simple exchange. But answer me this, why do you so wish for his freedom and give up your very own?"

"As I said before, he is my fiancé and I love this man with all of my being, and I know that he would do the very same for me in a heartbeat if I were to be in the same predicament." I confessed out, though I really had no idea where it was all coming from. On a second note, I believe it all came from the _real_ Bex, when she was busy planning her future wedding, that is, before Grant was captured.

"Interesting." The Royal thought out as he got up from his seat and began to approach me. Out of fear, my right foot shifted back. Out of defiance, I raised my eyes to meet his own. "Interesting indeed; so you really are willing to give it all up, aren't you?" he said as he finally came up on me.

"Yes, I am. It is something called sacrifice that the children are taught at a young age in Mesuin. The very same something that I believe you were not taught." I shot off before I realized that it could cost me dearly. I quickly lowered my eyes, ashamed at what I had done, but not to my enemy, but because High Priestess Aveda taught me better than that.

I heard a dark chuckle from in front of me. "You have quite a mouth. That must mean something else that is taught to the Mesuin children that I was not privileged enough to be educated in." I bit my tongue down, knowing that if I should let it go, I could do far worse damage. "What, no retort to that? I'm shocked, but then again, seeing a young woman-one from my enemy country nonetheless- to come to me to plead for her lover's life in place of her own is surprising enough." He turned to leave, before he turned to face me again, "Well, it is enough surprises for the first day, I presume. Saosin, announce to the guards to let our prisoner Grant go and tell the maids to prepare a room for our exchanged." Then he walked out of the room.

"Wait!" I shouted, "Don't I get the chance to say good-bye?" But my words were lost, even to me as the Royal's guard came up to me and took me away. I soon blacked out after that, I can only assume from the stress of my journey and the realization of what I had just done.

The next morning, I woke up to find myself in a king size bed covered in pearly white sheets and surrounded by glossy sheers around the bed. As well, my commoner's clothes had been stripped off of me and were replaced by a soft, creamy beige gown that flowed to my ankles and hung off of my shoulders and was fitted around my bodice. Slipping out of bed, I looked around the room that I was placed in. It too was a room made up of light grey stones, but mostly of white marble. I also found a set of French style windows that I discovered led to a balcony that over looked a garden. And adjacent from that was a shift robe that held clothing-women's clothing. Looking at the walls, I found two ruby red shields that appeared to tell some sort of folklore. Turning to the right of that, I found a vanity and mirror made of matching wood to the shift robe. Sighing, I sat on the large bed, trying to catch my breath and figure out what was going on. Just then, the door swung open and in came a swift woman around her late twenties. She was beautiful short hair brunette with big innocent brown eyes. She seemed to have a natural bounce to her step and naturally cheery.

"Oh goodness, that is the last time that I ever help that Jonas with his practice again! Ruining my clean laundry, heaven sakes!" she mumbled about as she began to unload a basket of what appeared to be fresh laundry. Jumping up, I ran over to help her. "Here, it looks like you could use some help." I said as I caught some falling towels from her over loaded basket.

"Why thank you my dear-oh, well!" she started as she got a good look at me. "Aren't you the new guest from Mesuin?" I nodded my head at her. "Humph, well I think what you did was very sweet of you and I just wish that young Zach could see that as well!" Then she bustled by me and went to the bed. "Honestly though, I don't know of many young girls who would leave their homeland and exchange their freedom for their lover's lives. It is just so romantic! Unlike some other fools I know of." Then she began to strip the bed of its sheets as she huffed out the last part mostly to herself.

"Um, I'm sorry, but did I miss something?" I asked as I walked up to one of the bed posts and rested my head up against it.

Stopping, the shocked woman looked up at me, "Don't you know, hon? The whole palace knows of your heroic deed! I'm just grateful you aren't stuck down there in that nasty, old dungeon!"

"Well, that's just it. I exchanged my freedom for Grant', so shouldn't I be in prison for his crimes? I mean, it is only fair, is it not?"

"If you were a man, then probably yes, but you are a young woman, you don't need to be down there! Besides, I think you have caught the interest of our dear Zach. I don't believe that he has ever met anyone who is so madly in love. Personally though, I think it will do the boy some good, you know, seeing the emotion might help him out that ice cube a bit." She fluffed a pillow, then a second, "I can only assume that you will be dining with the prince for brunch, so should I tell the cooks then send in a maid to help you dress?"

I shook my head, "Whoa, what?"

"I asked if I should go tell the cooks tha-"started the woman.

"No, no, I understand what you said. I just can't believe that you expect me to eat with my enemy! Don't you get it? My country, _my_ people have been at war with you and your people for years! And now that I am here, you expect me to just completely ignore that fact! I am sorry, but I came here for one reason and one reason alone, and that was to save Grant. I didn't come here to 'make nice' and just up and forget all that my people have done." I huffed out before I moved on the other side of the bed, as if it would protect me from the maid.

"Oh, dear, I didn't mean it like that. I am so sorry. Here, just let me go tell the cooks that you are not feeling well and wish for your meals in your room for today. I should have known that this big of a change for you would be upsetting. Now you just sit here on the bed and I'll be right back!" and she was out the door, and I still didn't know her name.

Sighing again, I sat on the bed and held my head in my hands. "What have I done?" I whispered out as I felt tears forming behind my eyes, threatening to fall. Suddenly feeling sick and a sudden rush of cold chills, I climbed onto the bed and underneath the covers. I stayed that way for about five minutes until the woman walked back in with a tray.

"I found a tray for you! I just hope everything is to your liking." She said all cheery like, well, before she spotted me hiding under the sheets of the bed. "Oh no, dear, don't tell me that you are still tired?" she set the tray down on a bed stand and came over to me. She then lightly put her hand on my forehead. "My, it seems you have a slight fever. Now don't you worry, Liz will take care of you!"

"Wait, who's Liz?" I asked.

Stopping, the woman turned around with a slight blush to her face, "Why I am! Oh, don't tell me I forgot to introduce myself! Oh, well then, I am Liz, the head maid around here, and if you ever need anything just let me know!"

Popping my head out a little more, I nodded my thanks to her, "Thank you, Liz. And since we are doing introductions, then-"

"Oh honey, we already know who you are, well, the whole palace knows, I'm not so sure if the town folk do or not. But aside from that fact, you are Bex Dei!" she beamed.

And that was another shot to my already queasy stomach. I could not tell the people here my true name. If I did, then surely they would track Grant down before he even got a chance to make it back to the real Bex. No, I would just have to play an imposter for a while, at least until that I am sure that they are both are safe.

For the following week I stayed shut-in in my room, huddle beneath my blankets fighting the fever that came on me so quick. As well, I fought off the horrible thoughts of my secret and what would happen to me if it was ever discovered; all the while, Liz never left my side and preceded to tell me the news and gossip filtering in and around the palace's walls.

So far, I have learned that a scrub maid was just replaced by a younger one, since the former one was caught stealing some spices from the kitchen. Saosin, the Royal Chancellor, has put in a request for more books to be added to the palace library. She even told me about Newt and how he was a new stable hand that was doing a wonderful job and impressing the Royals.

Then she talked about Jonas, the right hand guard of the Royal, was caught womanizing on the job, again. "He tends to enjoy a beautiful woman, he does." Liz explained, "But he does his job well, so they have yet to release him," Then she went on to tell me the gossip going on with the gardeners.

I also have learned that the Royal I spoke to the day of my exchange, was the Royal heir, Zach. His uncle, the previous ruler recently "stepped down", or according to Liz's story he did. I also figured out, through my own discovery, that Liz is very fond of Zach and sees him as a brother like figure. I deduce that his family was not around much as a child and she befriended him much like her own brother, or as much as a maid could care for a Royal. As well, I have figured that Saosin was a father-like figure to the Royal, which I think explains Zach's interest in the world- or so Liz says.

By the eighth day, I was feeling better when Liz came in to check on me. "Why look at you, it seems that you've gotten most of your color back! And might I say, you look prettier, much better than that grayish tone you were sporting!" she said as she went to the shift robe. "And now that you are better, it is time that you get out of this boring room and explore the palace! Here now, dear, stand up and I'll help you dress." Holding out her soft hand, Liz helped me up from the bed since I was still weak from the fever. She then led me to the wash bowl by the vanity to clean myself up. "I'm sure it will please _everyone_ to see you out and about, now that your fever is over with. Especially Zach, I'm sure." Liz snuck in as she emptied the now dirty water from the bowl.

I raised a brow, "Will he now? I don't see how that should affect him, I mean, I am his prisoner now, why would he care if I was sick or not?" I shimmied out of my beige night dress and had Liz help me into a new one. I was shocked to that it was made of silk and the color of burgundy. It was a gorgeous backless dress that hand a simple pendant that settled on my chest that connected the dress to a tie that went around my neck. Then there was another that centered with the one on top; this one was connected to a loose belt that hugged my hips and flowed to with the rest of the dress to the floor.

"This is such a beautiful dress, are you sure I'm suppose to wear this?" I asked at I gazed at myself in the mirror. I blushed to see how much of my skin was exposed, for being a priestess, we hardly ever showed this much skin to anyone.

"Yes, this dress suits you just fine. Besides, I'm sure the prince wishes for you to be comfortable while you stay here." Liz said as she finished tying off the dress.

I shook my head in disbelief. "This makes no sense! I am a prisoner here, and yet your prince wants me to be comfortable here? How can that be, when I am not in my own home land with the people that I love and care for?"

Liz scooted me towards the vanity chair and began to work on my hair. "You know, just because you and I are from very different backgrounds, we still found ways to look past that when you first arrived. And the same goes for our prince. He has had a different background than you, and I am positive that if you can learn to look past it, then you could find a very likable person."

What Liz said rang true, and I knew it to, because Aveda had once told me something quite similar when I was younger. But for the moment, I couldn't allow it, for I was lying to these people, the ones that understood that I was scared from being away from my home and were trying so hard to help me get through it. They didn't see me as some barbarian, but as some helpless girl. Feeling tears in the back of my eyes, I quickly blinked them away and looked in the mirror to meet Liz's eyes. "Maybe you're right, maybe I can get to know him, or at least thank him for allowing me to stay here in one of his spare rooms, instead of wasting away in some dungeon. I mean, I could be worse off, I could have never met you." I smiled at her, knowing it would mean a lot if I told her the truth and tried to get along with her prince.

She squeezed my shoulder softly, "Thank you Bex, it really means a lot to me that you are willing to try." She gave me a warm smile before she continued on. "Now, how do you like your hair?" I turned to face myself in the mirror and was shocked to see that Liz had performed a miracle on my ratty mess. I was so use to just throwing it in a simple work bun every day while I was at the temple doing my duties and chores that I never really took the time to ever fix it up, not like some of the other priestesses that is. Now Liz had taken my course hair and curled it slightly and put it up in a graceful ponytail, so that my hair just barely touched the nape of my neck. For once, I considered myself pretty, and I almost laughed at myself, since a priestess was never suppose to be vain. I had a feeling that living here was going to make me change from my priestess ways.

When I finished dressing for the day, or at least till Liz approved of me; she took me out to the South Garden Patio, there I was to meet Prince Zach since my "imprisonment." Feeling slightly nervous, I tried to hide it by performing some breathing routines that Aveda once taught me. She said she would use them all the time when she knew she had to face the Council or talk to the standing High Priestess. I tried them out, and surprisingly they helped, until I saw the French doors that led to the south patio. Then I realized just how truly anxious I was, and nothing was going to make the butterflies in my stomach go away, no matter how much I prayed to the Sister Goddesses.

"Here you go, child." Liz said as she opened the door for me. Squinting, my eyes slowly adjusted to the bright sun that I had not seen in some time. When I received my vision back, I spotted a lovely little table and a few empty chairs that were displayed on the patio. Beyond that table set, I noticed a small brick wall that trimmed the patio, and past the wall was one of the most beautiful sights that I have ever seen, for there was a rainbow of colors that were made up of flowers. It was so breath taking for me, since the only thing in the Temple's garden was simple, easy to grow flowers, herbs, and vegetables. I thought to myself that if I was not up in my room that I would definitely be out here, in the open and away from the cold, callous marble walls that kept me in.

"Do you like it that much?" came a voice from behind me. Startle, I jumped and brought my hand up to my face as I turned to see who scared me. There, I found the prince, dress all in black again, but in this light, his face didn't seem quite so cold.

I nodded my head slowly, "Yes, I have never seen anything quite like its match. It really is a sight." The prince nodded his head, seeming please with my answer, or he was simply amused by it. Feeling brave, I dared to ask a question, "So, do you come out here often, to tend to it I mean?"

"No, I am a Royal by blood; I prefer not to get my hands dirty when I have servants to do that for me." He answered back dismissively as he turned to walk back to the table. "Now have a seat and we will eat." Feeling as if I had met a different prince from the one that Liz adored, I just simply stared at the man in front of me. "Well, are you coming or not?" he asked.

Biting my lip to keep from letting anything of consequence from getting out, I walked over to the chair that the Royal had pulled out for me and sat down. He then proceeded to his own chair, the one across from me. Then a servant came out with two trays of food; one for me, and the other for the rude Royal. Then, before either one of us could take a bite out of our breakfast, Royal Chancellor Saosin came out to the patio. "Sir" he bowed, "I believe that we have some immediate issues to deal with." I barely caught it, but I was positive that I saw Saosin's eyes shift over to me then quickly back to his master. Without a word, the Royal got up from his untouched meal and followed his Chancellor into the palace. This struck me as odd, for we priestesses were taught to never leave a meal once you sat down, no matter what. And we were also taught that if a commoner or a High Birth were to invite us to a meal, it was us who should be considered graced, and that they could offend us greatly if either one left us during a meal. So you could only imagine how I felt.

So without a word, I picked up a small loaf of bread and walked down the stairs and out into the majestic garden. For the first half of my day, I continued to spend it in the garden. I was learning the names of the plants and some of their purposes, though most were there for looks, well according to the gardeners, that is.

Some time near noon, Liz found me lying beneath a Willow tree, enjoying the gentle breeze that flittered by and made the tree move, but only a little. "I see someone is enjoying the garden. Did you not have one back in Mesuin?" she asked as she sat down beside me.

Peeking an eye open I looked at her slight figure that nestled down by some roots. "Yes, we had a garden, but not one quite like this. This one is like an Eden." I explained to her as I sat up and scooted over to Liz's side. "There was a tree though, much like this one that we are under; it reminds me so much of home. I think if I am able to come out here, then I guess being a prisoner here won't be so bad."

Liz stiffened up, but only a trained eye could have caught it. "Bex, I wish you would stop saying that." She said softly.

I turned to face her, "What are you talking about, Liz?"

She bowed her head and started to fiddle with her hands. "I'm sorry; I just don't think you quite realize your situation here. I mean, oh, never mind." She then got up and dusted off her dress.

"Liz, I'm still young. Maybe if you explain it to me, then maybe I can understand what you want me to." I said as I made eye contact with her. I knew what Aveda had taught, and it would all help me, if I was still a priestess in the Starr Temple. But now I was a prisoner in a strange land, and how was I suppose to know of their customs if no one taught me? So the only way I saw that I could survive here was to befriend anyone who was willing. And the only willing person I had met so far was Liz.

Liz bent down and match my gaze, "Your fiancé was captured under Heing's rule, not Zach's."

I was confused, "Wait, who is Heing?"

"Heing is Zach's uncle, the one that Zach just replaced." Liz explained.

I nodded my head, "So Zach is just coming into the power; he's still new to the whole 'duty' thing, isn't he?"

"Yes." Liz went on, "He was touched by the fact that you were willing to give up your freedom, your life for your fiancé. See, he didn't understand the fact that different backgrounds didn't necessarily make you all that different. The way I see it, having you here with him just might make him a better ruler and maybe even end this pointless war between our two people."

Shocked to the point where I was speechless, I just gazed at Liz, hardly believing what I just heard. Did she really think that my sacrifice could change one person, and that person could help end the war! That would be my excitement beyond any words imaginable, but, what if they were to find out the secret. No, I won't let that happen. If I have to continue on with this lie of mine just to save Mesuin, then so be it. From here on out, I will not act as Bex Dei would, I will _be_ her.

Liz finally noticing the stunned look on my face said, "Oh, just forget I ever said anything. Now let us go get some lunch. I'm sure you must be hungry after all that exploring that you have done." Liz took my hand and led me off to the palace once more.

Around the time of five, or at least that is what the sun dial read, I was up in the South Library, exploring through all of the books that I could get my hands on. Never in my life had I seen so many books, let alone how diversified they were. It was all such new and exciting ways here in the palace and no one seemed to mind in helping me if I got lost or confused while wandering in the palace. It was just, wonderful. And the best part was I had yet to see the cold prince since that day I was to have breakfast with him. Even better, Liz stopped sending me on guilt trips about the Royal since my first day out.

I for one was fairly excited, but then again, I thought it was okay since it was my five week anniversary of being here, and no one (not even Liz) had figured out my secret. I was very proud of myself, though I did find myself under the willow tree out in the South Gardens whenever I felt homesick or afraid. It became my sanctuary of sorts, as well as the library, since people tended to avoid the musty old place. But to me, that was fine. I for one was not in the sharing mood whenever I felt nostalgic.

But today was a bittersweet day for me. For one, I had kept my secret, but two, I had heard from no one from Mesuin. I wasn't sure if they missed me at all, or if they simply thought that I was too far gone to be saved. I just didn't know, and it hurt.

By now, I figured that Bex and Grant were finally married, and Aveda had chosen a replacement for me to be the next Tenth Priestess. And maybe even Marcun had changed a few of the _Principles_, just like she has wanted to do for years now. I smiled slightly to myself as I put a book that I had not even glance at, away.

"You know, if you actually read that book, you might have enjoyed it." Shocked, but not surprised, I turned to face the voice that had just spoken.

Bowing slightly, I responded back, "I do not doubt that I would, but you must forgive me, I am not myself today, Prince Zach."

"No, you are not. It is a sunny day outside, and yet you choose to stay inside, here in the library. I would have assumed you would be out under that willow tree again." He said as he came up beside me.

I raised an eyebrow, but I did not face him, and I began to look at a different shelving of books. "I am surprised that you know of my rituals here at the palace. I would have thought you would have had more important duties to take care of, instead of keep taps on me."

I heard him smirk, "Don't flatter yourself. I have merely seen you afar when I have tracked through this palace to perform my respectful duties." He now turned to the adjacent shelves and began to look for a book.

I shook my head at him. "You've been skipping your duties lately."

I heard him rustle behind me; I think to grab a book from a higher shelf. "And you blame me for stalking you. And what makes you think that I would shirk from my duties?"

"I have no idea why you would take time from your responsibilities; I just simply know what Liz has told me. And that is her complaining how you've been neglecting your Royal obligations." I grunted out the last part as I jumped up to reach a book from a higher shelf. I missed twice before I felt a warm weight on my shoulder. I turned slightly to find Zach standing behind me with his left hand resting on my shoulder.

"Which is it that you want?" he asked in a low voice. I pointed to a velvet red covered book. He reached up and grabbed it for me; he didn't have to struggle to reach it like I did. He then looked at it before he handed it over to me. "An interesting choice you have there. _The Swords of Ancient Hesrah_ that is something that I would have pegged a young squire to read over."

I held the book close to me and thought of something quick I could say. "It is something that I expect Grant would have read. You know, the whole battle and gore, it's a warrior's dream come true." I thought it was a good lie, and I assume Zach believed it to, for the moment I spoke of Grant's name, I saw a change in the Royal's expression; one that was there, and then gone.

"Oh yes, I have forgotten about your fiancé. I can only assume that you are still in love with him, even though he has yet to come back for you." The prince seemed to bite out.

Saying that I was shocked by his response would have been an understatement. But what could I possible say to the prince. Should I get mad or shy away. I was so confused, so I decided to act angry. I turned my back to the Royal. "I made my choice, and obviously Grant has made his. And if he so chooses to abandon me here, then so be it, at least I will have a guilt free conscience." I then made my way to the library door.

"You don't love him, do you?" Zach said just loudly enough for me to hear what he said. I turned back around and faced him. He was leaning against a book shelf with his arms crossed. "Admit it, you don't love him."

I gaped at him, trying to find the right thing to say while I shook my head furiously. "I… I'm not having, no; I _refuse_ to have such a conversation with you. It is absolutely ridiculous and absurd!" I marched up to Zach and poked him in the chest, "I _love_ Grant, and for you to question that on my part is low, even for a Hesrahin!" I then looked into his eyes, and that's when I realized my mistake, because he was not looking at my eyes, but what was around my neck, or in this case, the lack of it.

Zach _knew_ I was lying, but he just didn't know the extent of it. But what he did know was that I was not wearing the tell-tell silver chain and engagement ring that Grant had given to his fiancé. Feeling suddenly ashamed of myself because I had lost the engagement ring some time ago, and I had not said a word to no one. Then again, as my hand reached up to touch my neck, I had forgotten all about the broken chain and the little ring, well, until now.

"I suspect that if you truly love Grant as much as you claimed to have, then you would have had an all out search party looking for your ring sooner. And I suspect that you would have had it about a week and a half ago." Zach informed me as he reached into his shirt pocket and retrieved the engagement ring. Feeling nauseated, I just looked at the ring that he held between his thumb and index finger. "So, would you like to tell me the truth, or should I simple tell you what I think is really going on here." I kept silent, not daring to open my mouth. Taking it as his cue to continue, Zach went on. "I believe that Grant to be a very high informant to the people of Mesuin, and that your people needed him back since he had valuable information against me and my kingdom. I also suspect that Grant was never engaged to begin with, it was a simple plot to get Grant back into your lands."

I shook my head at him, as tears threatened to fall, though some already had, but Zach just ignored me.

"Oh, I forgot the important role that you played in all of this. You are the trained assassin that was sent here to pose as the captain's dear fiancé, pleading for his life. I of course, believed it all, and allowed the assassin into my own home." He now took to walking around me, like a vulture ready to consume its prey once confirmed dead. "Tell me when I'm getting close, because I would hate to miss any detail of this story for your upcoming trial."

Finally giving in, I decided to tell the true. "You have it all wrong." I whispered out.

Stopping to face me, Zach looked me in the eyes- my tearful ones clashing with his cold, distant ones. "Then tell me what I do not know." He said in a dark voice, one that sent invisible shivers running up and down my spine.

"Captain Grant is no special informant, as far as I know." I added the last part, before the Royal could counter back. "And Grant was truly engaged to be married to Bex Dei. She is a real person, and she is his fiancée, or at least she was about five weeks ago."

Zach just continued to stare at me, "So if what you say is true, then I can only assume that you are not this Bex Dei. Am I right?"

I took a breath and nodded yes to him.

He took a threatening step forward, "Then just who are you?"

"My name is Cammie Daae. I was in line to be the next Tenth Priestess of Starr Temple. My mentor was High Priestess Aveda Daae. My counselor was former High Priestess Marcun. My best friend at the convent was Bex Dei. Our childhood friend was Grant Zondi." I paused here to catch my breath before I continued on with my explanation. "About five weeks ago, Bex confessed to me that Grant had proposed to her; upset and confused, I let her be and I was going to let her face the Council on her so she could leave the convent. But I finally came to my senses and went with her to see Lady Marcun and the rest of the Councilors. Eventually she was able to convince them that she was not there at that convent to train as a priestess, but was there for protection during a raid from the Hesrah army." I stopped there, not really able to continue on, because I knew what happened next.

Zach just continued to stare at me, and I wished that he would just let me be. But I knew that he was just waiting for me to go on with my story. "Then what happened?" he asked, his voice no longer fill with a darkness in it, though the coldness was still there.

"Then Bex received a note three weeks after her meeting with the council. It stated how Grant had been captured by the Hesrah's leading army, and there were no possible ways to retrieve him once he had passed through enemy territory. She was devastated. There was nothing that anyone could do, not even me. For three days she stayed in her room, refusing to leave, let alone eat.

"I was scared, and didn't know what to do. So I sat underneath the willow tree that was in our temple garden. There, High Priestess Aveda came to me, and together we talked, and that was when I secretly formed a plan in my head." I said quietly, still not looking at Zach in the eye.

"Was it the plan to exchange yourself for Grant?" he asked.

I nodded my head, "I snuck into Bex's room late that night and took her engagement ring, hoping that it would convince you enough that I was the real Bex. Then I rode by horse to the border territory where it would be closest to the palace. Not long after that, I met you, and you know the rest of the story."

I waited to hear if Zach said anything. He didn't, he just turned and left. I didn't bother to go after him. I saw no reason to; it wasn't like he could just pick up Grant and put him back in prison. And surprisingly enough, as much as I should have feared for my own life, since I was in the lion's den; I saw no sense in it. I would either die or live. But to me, it was all the same- I was here, bound to the palace grounds.

After I had met Zach in the South library, Liz came in, looking for me. She found me crying on the floor, leaning on the shelves for support. She never asked me what was wrong; she just simply sat next to me and hugged me until I could finally talk to her. I didn't tell her, I just let her assumed that I was home sick. Then together, we went to my room and I stayed there for the rest of the day, hiding. And I heard no more from the prince, so I took it as a silent blessing that he would not reveal my secret to anyone.

Three days past before I saw Zach again; this time, I saw him out in the North garden- this was a garden maze, one I had yet to explore. Thinking quickly, I ducked behind a large role of bushes, hoping that they would conceal me from his sight. Holding my breath, I waited a second or two before I looked to see if he passed by. To my dismay, he hadn't. In fact, he was in an open area near the exit of the garden, practicing his archery skills.

Slightly cursing my luck to the Sisters- even though Aveda had warned ill of it-I plopped down on the ground, trying to figure out how I could get past him.

"Try again!" I heard someone shout from behind the bush. I dared a peek. There I saw Jonas laughing at Zach, who was having trouble with his bow.

"How in Hades do you expect me to handle this thing when you just injured my hand with that clumsy sword skill of yours?" Zach bit out as he rubbed his right hand. Jonas just continued to laugh at him. "Stop laughing you idiot." Zach mumbled as he picked up the bow again and took aim. He shot and missed the target.

Jonas laughed even more, "You are a sorry excuse for a Royal! Don't you know that most of your descendants have practiced with sore hands, so that if they were ever in battle, they could still fight with accuracy?"

Zach glared at Jonas, "I could understand it if it were a sword, but a bow? It's quite a different concept."

By now, I was laughing quietly to myself at Zach's antics. Just a few days prier I had learned that Jonas and Zach were best friends, and Jonas was always giving the prince a hard time whenever he got the chance. Zach, being a good sport would let him, and on rare occasions get Jonas back with vengeances. But most times, Zach would just glare at Jonas, like he was doing now.

"Oh, come on now! I'm sure if you just try one more time you can get it." Jonas encouraged to the retreating prince.

"No." he said simply as he picked up his bow.

Jonas following like a shadow, "If you try again I'll let you smack my hand."

"No."

Stopping, Jonas started to grin, "You are no fun when it's that time of the month for you."

"Shut up."

"See, there you go again, and that temper of yours! It's hard to believe that you would be hard to marry off." The Royal guard said sarcastically. "Now, if I were a single and eligible woman, I would be all over you in a heartbeat."

"If you were an eligible woman wanting to marry me, I would have to be very drunk to marry that sorry excuse for a face." Zach smirked as he turned to face off with his friend.

Jonas's own face, full of high spirits, soon fell, "What's wrong with my face? I have happened to have attracted many a female with this face, thank you. "

By now I was holding on to my sides, trying my hardest not to laugh out loud. It was getting to be too much for me. I knew I would have to leave soon so that the two friends wouldn't know I was listening in on them. Slowly I got to my feet and backed up while measuring the distance from my spot to the palace. Figuring that I could sneak around some rather large flowers, I could go undetected.

While the friends continued to picker about each other's faces, I slowly made my way to the door without either one of them noticing. By the time I reached the steps, I knew I was home free…until Jonas called out for me.

"Hey, Bex, come here. We need you to solve something for us." I slightly groaned before I turned to face them. They were still in the same place as before, by the archery target, and had yet to really move.

Sluggishly, I walked over to them, praying that they had not seen me earlier and that I would not get into any more trouble. "You need me?" I asked.

"Yes, Zach here believes that I have a hideous face, and that his is the better one. Now, you being a young female madly in love with another man, I hope you to have an unbiased vote here and tell the Royal that no one could ever love his gruesome face." Jonas explained.

I looked between the guard and the prince, debating if I should just leave them to their jokes, or attempt to join in.

"Well, Bex, tell him!" Jonas urged. "I mean, I know he may look all gruff and mean, but that's just his exterior. On the inside, he's a cute, fluffy bunny."

"Alright, that's enough." Zach said in that cold tone of his. "Just let her go, can't you see she doesn't want to be here."

The guard made a face at his friend, "You take no joy in tormenting others, do you? Besides, I'm sure she would love to stay and watch us practice. Wouldn't you, Bex?" He turned to me in question.

Not really seeing how I could say no and not get roped back into something else of Jonas's, I decided that agreeing was my only choice. "Of course, Jonas, I would love to see you both practice." I smiled, and in partial truth, I was. So I sat on a nearby step as the two set up the target once more. Jonas was up first. He quickly lined up his bow and took a shot. _Fuuem_, thwack. His arrow hit the target with great speed, but his aim was a little less than desirable.

"Ta-Da. Now that is what I call a beauty." Jonas said as he looked at the target.

Zach shook his head, "You're suppose to hit the bull's eye, not the circle around it."

"Not necessarily. It all depends who is the shooter and what you are aiming for. Now go and show us what you can do." Jonas demanded in fake angry tone as he came over to sit by me.

Stepping up, Zach lined up his bow and looked at the target. He then lowered them and studied the target before he brought the weapon back up to aim. _Fuuem_, thwack. The Royal just barely missed the bull's eye center. I assume that if his hand had been spared of Jonas, he would have shot through the target itself.

Jonas, now standing, gaped at his friend before he found his voice, "C'mere, let me whack your hand again. Then we'll see if you can do that again."

Zach just smirked at his guard, "There is no way that I am allowing you touch me again. So you can just keep your _training_ ideas to yourself next time."

"They're not _my_ training ideas, they're _basic_ training ideas. Besides, they could be very helpful one day!" Zach just continued to shake his head no at the guard and walked over to the steps where I was. Jonas, walked over to take a stance and aimed his bow, then stopped. "You know, technically, it's not my turn at the bow. It's dear Lady Bex's turn."

I now had prince and guard staring at me. I didn't know what to do. Did Zach really tell Jonas who I was? And since Jonas was captain of the guard, did he tell Zach that most priestess could wield just about any weapon that was known to us? I just didn't know, and I froze up.

Zach must have caught on to my sudden stiffness and covered for me, "Look at her. She freezes at the thought of holding the thing, and you just expect her to aim and shoot it? I think it might be best that she doesn't take a turn for the day."

Jonas walked up to me, "Oh, come on, what's the worst that could happen? Besides, I think she might have fun with it!" Jonas held out his hand for me to take it. I looked at him, and then at Zach whose own face was blank and I couldn't read it. Gulping, I took Jonas's hand and followed him to the target. He then proceeded to tell me all about the bow and its purpose as a weapon. Having been a former priestess and skilled archer, I already knew these facts, but I let him tell me anyway. Or at least I pretended to be fascinated by it all, while on the inside my mind was screaming at me to run.

"So do you get?" Jonas asked me, which brought me back into the living world. I looked him in the eyes and saw the eagerness in them that wanted me to do this. Not use to disappointing people, I nodded my head and took the stance. "No, you're doing it wrong." Jonas said as he pointed at my position. "You're suppose to face the target, not angle yourself at it."

"Jonas, let her do it her way."Zach interjected as he tried to show me his stance.

Jonas looked back at Zach, "But that is not the correct way to take a stance with the bow." He was going to say more, I could tell, but then Saosin came out over the veranda.

"Captain Jonas, I was told to tell you that you have a meeting in the Dine Hall that is about to beginning. Your presence is needed." Saosin said the last part as if he were speaking to a child. But I guess in way, he really was.

Jonas, shaking his head in defeat, turned to me, "Well I guess you get out of it this time." He then looked at Zach, "And just wait till I get out of that meeting; I'll have more training basics that we can work on." And then he was gone.

I then lowered the bow and handed it out to Zach, but he just shook his head. "No, by the look in your eye, I have a feeling you actually know how to handle the weapon. I even bet you are really good at it. Now show me what you can do." He ambled up to me with that smirk of his, the one that I first saw on the day that we met.

Not finding it in my power to say no, I leveled out the bow and aimed it for the center of the target. _Fuuem_, thwack. I pierced it with no problem. I could feel Zach studying me closely, silently asking for an explanation. "Each priestess of the Temple and follower of the Sisters is required to learn a weapon skill. My personal forte just so happens to be the bow." I then selected another arrow from the canister, and leveled it with the bow and took aim. _Fuuem_, snap! I had splintered my first arrow in the target with my second. Turning around, I faced the Royal, "I have also learned how to handle the bow with both of my hands injured and numb. Those tricks that you refuse to learn are actually more helpful in the long run; you should listen to Jonas next time." I handed the bow back over to the quiet prince, and walked up the stairs and into the chilled palace, hoping to find Liz.

Once inside, I headed towards the kitchens, hoping to find Liz along the way. But I was soon stopped by a sight I saw outside the window. It was Newt having trouble with a horse. Quickly, making my way through the palace maze, I found my way to the stables, and little Newt. "Newt, hi." I said breathlessly, since I practically ran out here.

Turning around, the boy looked at me and smiled, "Well, I haven't seen you since the day you came! I was wondering what had happen to you, though with the gossip flittering throughout the palace; I heard you were doing well. "He then went back to the horse he was trying to shoe.

I studied what Newt was doing and was trying to figure out why the horse was so jittery. Finally guessing the problem, I walked up to Newt. "Here, let me try. I think I might be able to make her more relaxed." I said as I knelt down to gather up the beast's hoof.

Standing up, Newt got out of the way, "Aren't you afraid that you'll mess up that nice dress of yours?"

Not even giving the royal blue dress a thought, I shook my head, "It's just a dress, Newt, it's not like it will kill me to dirty it or anything." Though I did laugh slightly at the thought, since I was use to be one of the filthier priestess when it came to doing my chores, and now I was spic and span all the time; I kind of missed the dirt, in a way.

"See here, Newt?" I pointed to a small place between the shoe and hoof, "There is a rise in the shoe; it's hurting her when you try to put the shoe on. It's going to make her walking worse, and she'll favor this foot to the point where no one will want to ride her." I explained as I reached for another shoe to replace the one that the horse was wearing.

"Do you know how to put shoes on horses?" Newt asked in amazement as I took the horse shoe off.

"Yes, I learned how to take care of horses when I was little. I was taught to treat them well, and in return, they will do the same." I then got up after I have readjusted the shoe and had hammered it down. I then stood up to stretch my cramping legs. "See, doesn't she look so much better?" I asked as the horse nudged me gently as a way of thanks.

"Wow that was so cool." Newt said as I handed the reins back over to him and he led the beast back into the stables. I in turn, left to go and look for Liz again.

Going in through the main kitchen, I was griped out by Cook, who thought I would have considered the food and my dirty outfit. Grinning at her, I gave her an apology, then she slid me a small cinnamon loaf, and I was out of there. Deciding that I was not going to find Liz very easily today, I thought that just heading to the South library would be best. Besides, I still had a book that I left in there the other day that I still needed to read.

About eight feet from the entrance of the library's door, I began to hear voices coming from within. At first I thought nothing of it-I was use to finding Jonas and Saosin in there arguing- until I got closer. Then I began to question who was really there. Coming closer, I realized that I did not recognize the voices, one I recognized as female and the other a deep male. I decided that it would be best to just bypass the library altogether, and just go to my room. That's when I heard it, one of the voices said something that was just too much to simply ignore and was too obvious to be an innocent conversation.

"I want to know just how in the hell did he get this information. It was too carefully plan, it was executed perfectly." I heard the first speaker say in a harsh, raspy voice to the second.

"Don't worry, it can all be fixed. All we have to do is take out that precious prince, and then all will be ours once again." came the female voice.

"What do you mean by 'ours?' It was _never_ a two sided rule, just mine!" the first speaker

There was a tense silence before the female spoke once more, "Just remember, Heing, that without me, you would not have even had the crown- even for the short amount of time that you had it. Without me, you greedy pig, you would still be under your brother's rule, being second best and kissing up. But you should consider yourself lucky that I will still associate myself with you and help you to regain your precious crown." The woman seemed to spit that last part out like a snake would venom to its victim.

Shuddering at the words, I dared a peek into the library, until I heard footsteps approaching the door way. Thinking fast, I quickly ran down the hall from where I just came and turned back around, to give the illusion that I was just entering the hall. That's when I saw the woman walk out of the room, looking both ways, as if to see if one way would be better than the other; she chose my direction. I was then able to get a look of her.

She was a woman in her early fifties with a grand aura around her. She held herself high, and walked with a certain grace-one that Royal would be envious of. And when the mysterious woman walked past me, I swear I felt a tremor run down my spine, telling me that I knew her aura from somewhere.

I turned slightly where I was standing and watched her go on, wondering where I could have seen her or know her from. But I didn't have much time to dwell on the fact, since Liz finally decided to show up. Though, it did take her a few tries to grab my attention, since I was deep in thought.

"Bex!" she stomped her foot and her hair bounced around her.

Jerking, I looked at Liz, "Oh, I'm sorry I was just thinking." I choked out.

She rolled her eyes, "Obviously. Where have you been? I thought we were going to meet in the garden, but when I got there, I just found Zach practicing archery."

"I'm sorry; the sun was just getting to me. So I thought that I could wait for you in the library." I lied.

Liz shook her head at me, "Well, I guess it doesn't matter so much now that we found each other. So let's go ahead and head up to your room. We can work easier in there."

I nodded my head at her, and then we took off for my room, but as we passed by the library, I glimpsed in and saw no one in there. But at least I saw the face of one of the people; the female with the face I swore I knew.

When we reached my room, Liz took out a sewing box that was hidden in the shift robe. "Stand over here, Bex. It is better lighting for what I want to do."

"And just what is it that you want to do?" I asked as I did as she said, standing near a window.

Kneeling down at me feet, she tried to hide a smile, "Nothing in particular. Now hold still, I don't want to mess up the measurements."

"Liz…" I said in a warning tone, daring to move on her.

Huffing, she looked up at me, "Fine, there is a ball coming up soon and you will need a new gown for it. So I thought I could make you one. Satisfied?"

"But why do I need a new dress? I have plenty in the shift robe, and they are all very lovely. Why can't I just wear one of them?" I asked.

Liz just gave me one of her smiles, telling me that what I said was something she was not use to. "This is a very _special_ ball; therefore you need a very special dress to wear to it. Besides, all of those other dresses are meant to be worn as an everyday outfit. So, will you allow me to measure you so I can get started on this dress?"

I thought about it for a moment, "Just what is so special about this ball, anyway?" I stared down Liz, knowing that if I didn't, there would be a chance where she would avoid the question altogether. "Liz?"

"It's for Prince Zach; he is announcing his official reign over Hesrah. Once he has done that, then everyone must respect his rule and then it will be easier for him to rule without having counselors and lords breathing down his neck, despite of what they think of what should be done. Who knows, maybe once he has full control, he will be able to stop this war between our two peoples." Liz explained.

Shocked about the last part, I dropped to my knees to get eye level with my friend, "Do you really think that he would stop the war?" I was excited. If he did choose to end the war, then there would be no more of a reason for me to be here, since I was supposedly a 'prison of war.' I would be free to go back to Mesuin and finish my training as a priestess and maybe eventually become High Priestess- which was always a secret dream of mine. "This is wonderful! So when is he going to talk to the officials of Mesuin? Is it soon? Oh, I hope it's soon." I suddenly began to think of the great possibilities that could come of this and what I could do.

"Bex!" Liz shouted at me.

Stunned, I looked back to face her, "What is it, Liz. I thought you would be excited about this too. You said so yourself that this war was stupid and pointless."

She shook her head, "You don't understand. I do want this war to end, but it all won't happen in a day. It could take months, possibly even years. There was a lot of damage done when Heing was ruling; so who really knows what could happen."

I was quiet as I slowly realized that just because the war would end, did not mean that I could go back to Mesuin. There was still a chance that I would continue to live my life out in this miserable palace and the people in it. I shook my head fiercely as this horrible thought soon evolved into worse images. "I can't do this." I whispered to myself, though I'm sure Liz heard me. I then ran out of the room, ignoring Liz's calls.

I didn't know where I was going. It was hard to tell because of the tears that blurred my vision. But at the moment, I really didn't care. I was suffocating in this place and I wanted out. But that would never happen, I was a prisoner, and prisoners never get a chance to breath.

Eventually, I found myself under the willow tree. There I fell under its protective branches and wept out everything that I was feeling as I tried to catch the breath that I had lost. Gasping for air, I felt that I was drowning in body of water and there was no escape for me. Starting to panic, I realized that I really was losing my breath, and my head began to roar.

CAMMIE!" I heard someone yell. I didn't recognize the voice, though it sounded close. But at the moment I didn't care. I just needed air.

Soon, through my blurred vision, I saw a black figure come at me. Scared I tried to stand to fight it off. But I soon found out that my legs were too weak to hold me, so I leaned against the tree for support, still gasping for air as the tears continued to stream down my face.

"Cammie?" That's when I finally recognized the voice. It was Zach, but I had no idea why he was out here. But I didn't have much time to dwell on the fact, because I soon found myself in between his arms, helping to steady me against the tree. "Shh, it's ok, you're fine now." And though the horrible images still haunted me, I somehow believed him, and started to calm done and was breathing easier. "See, you're fine. Everything is going to be ok. I'm here now, just breathe, that's it."

After few minutes of irregular breathing, and Zach calming me down, I finally relaxed enough where I was fine with sitting beneath the tree again. "Thank you, Zach." I said as he sat down next to me. "I guess I just panic over nothing and got worked up." I blushed slightly out of embarrassment of my panic attack. I use to have them a lot when I was little, and Aveda and Bex were always around to help me fight them off. This was first time that someone else stood by to help me.

Brushing a hair out of my face with a hesitate hand, he spoke, "Obviously it was nothing to you if you got worked up over it. Care to tell me what it is?" I looked him in the eyes, his being a darker hue, I got lost in them. Then I remembered, the last time I tried to stare at his eyes, I was afraid that I would lose my soul to the black hole. Now I looked away, not out of fear for my soul, but for the reason of opening up. Somehow I did not think that he would appreciate the fact that I panic over the thought of staying here after he just came to my rescue.

"No, it really was nothing of great importance. Liz just wanted to make me a new dress and I didn't see a reason in having one." I lied, and he knew it.

Zach nodded his head, "Well if you're that upset about a dress, maybe you should have just told her instead." He graced his lips with that smirk of his, trying to let me know that even though he knew I was lying, he wasn't going to push me an further than where I wanted to go. And for that, I was truly thankful.

"Thank you, Zach, for being so understanding." I gave him a small kiss on the side of his cheek and I stood up. "You will make a good king one day."

He smirked again, "What, not a great one?"

I smiled back, "Maybe, if you stopped skipping out on all of your duties."

"Fair enough." He then stood up too and walked me back to the palace before we went our separate ways; me to my room, and the Royal, well, maybe to his duties.

The next few days began to fly by as I soon found out that Zach's coordination was only a week away. And Liz and I were still arguing over my dress situation, though I think she pretty much won out when she received all of my measurements. But in truth, what else could I do? I knew that I would have to go to the party, at least for Liz's sake. I knew that if I didn't then she might not have the courage to face her fear- asking Jonas to dance. As of recent, I was able to drag a little personal information out of Liz. Turned out she had a small crush on Jonas, he just didn't know it. But I was going to make it my personal responsibility to get those together.

Walking into my room, I found Liz sitting by one of my open windows, sewing with some creamy white material. "What are you working on?" I asked the girl as I sat down across from her on a cushy, red chair.

Looking up from her work, she smiled at me, "Nothing that you need to worry about."

I grinned at her, "Is that the promised dress for Zach's ball?"

She glanced up from her work and then went straight back to it. "Possibly, now hush. I don't want to be distracted and mess up on it."

Leaning on my chair I looked out the window. "If you don't want distractions, then why are you sitting at a perfect angle from the window so that you are able to see Jonas practice his swordsmanship, a shirtless Jonas might I add." I smiled cockily at her.

She blushed slightly, but dared a glance out the window, "Oh, is Jonas out there? I didn't notice." Then she went straight back to her work.

"Liar!" I shouted as I threw a pillow at her. I then tackled her, "Admit it, you like him!"

Giggling, she tossed her project to the side and grabbed the pillow that I threw at her. "I am Liz Siris; I don't know how to lie. So take it back." Liz wrestled me to the ground and started to tickle me.

Laughing out, I said, "I won't take back what I said. It's true and you know it!" I then tried to push her off of me, but at last, I got nowhere.

"Take it back, Bex, or you will die of suffocation because of being tickled." She laughed out. Trying to catch my breath and push Liz off of me, I just spurted into another fit of giggles; I pretty much gave up on returning threats since I had no air to spare for talking.

Just when Liz was going in for the kill strike, my bedroom door swung open, and there stood a shirtless, sweaty Zach, and right behind him was Jonas, in the same condition. "We heard yelling and screaming; what happened?" asked a worried Jonas.

Blushing, Liz sat up and tried to fix her messy hair. I too sat up, but mostly to catch my breath. Once I gained most of it back, I looked at the two males at my door and smiled, "Liz and I had a simple misunderstanding. It's nothing serious, so you have nothing to worry about."

"Until they leave." I heard Liz mumble under her breath as she glared in my direction. I just laughed at her uneasiness.

Relaxing, Zach spoke to Jonas, "See, I told you there was nothing that we needed to worry about. Next time, try not to over react over something this meager, I mean you are the captain of my guard. You should not jump to conclusions as hasty as you did, it doesn't look good." He then walked out of the room. But not before I noticed a hint of pink that graced his face.

Jonas was now left to stand in my doorway. "Sorry to interrupt you two. Next time you two get into a spat, try leaving the window closed. Maybe I won't have to get reprimanded for it next time." He then stalked out of the room.

Liz, giving me a look of worry, jumped up and ran after him, or so I presumed. I in turn got up and dusted my dark purple dress off. I then walked over to Liz's project. I folded it up neatly and placed it back on the chair she was sitting on, then I sat on my chair and dug into its side to get a book I had buried in there earlier. Smiling to myself as I cozy up in the chair and prepared to read the book. Then I saw a figure reenter the room. Looking up, I smiled, "What now? I'm fine now; I don't need to be saved from the evil Liz, though if you had come in a little earlier, I could have been spared from scarring."

Zach, now wearing a shirt, just looked me in the eyes and shook his head at me. I just smiled at him since I noticed a scowl beginning to spread across his face. "Do you know where Jonas ran off to? I think Saosin needs him for another meeting."

Turning my head to my left to look out the window I noticed two figures out there. I just continued to smile, "How badly does he really need to attend this meeting. I mean, he could stand to miss one, right?" I turned back to face Zach, giving him a curious look.

He shook his head, "Jonas is the head of my guard; he took on responsibilities when he took the oath. If he can't live up to them, then maybe he shouldn't be a guard at all." Zach's eyes began to look cold and distant again. This was when I hated to be around him, and this was the time when my tongue would fly.

"So basically if he can't make it to one stupid meeting, you want to drop him from your guard altogether?" I stood up now, furious and threw my book down. "That's like Saosin saying that you shouldn't be king since you skip so many of your studies and make someone else of lesser quality take over." I was in his face now, not daring to back down.

Zach just looked at me, almost to the point of glaring me down. "I did not mean it like that, I simply meant that-"

"No, that is exactly what you meant, Zach! Don't you see, you say one thing and just expect everyone to understand what you mean? But you can't do that. People will get confused and won't be able to follow you if you do become king. They will question your rule, and then later you." I still had yet to back down, and neither had he. So now we were face to face. "Zach, if you choose to rule the same way you treat your friends, then you have no right to even consider yourself worthy to be king." I then turned around, grabbed my book from my chair and left my room. I didn't know where I was going for sure, but I did know that it would be far from the damn confusing Royal.

Eventually, my feet found the South library and soon began to settle down. '_Maybe I was a little harsh_.' I thought to myself. '_But he should know better to treat his friends like that, especially if his coronation is coming up soon; he's really going to need them_.' Huffing, I threw my book down and began to pace around the room out of frustration. '_This is ridiculous, Zach should know better_.' I was still aggravated at the Royal when I stopped in front of one of the large windows to look out it. There, I saw Zach out in the garden, practicing with his sword. He was doing a terrible job at it then how he was doing earlier.

"He seems frustrated, doesn't he?" came an eerie voice from behind me. Jumping, I turned around and saw the same woman that I had witnessed come out of the library only a few days prier.

"Wh-who does?" I stuttered out as I still felt my heart racing from the scare.

She smiled, it was a beautiful one, but yet it held a coldness in it. "Why the prince of course; you were watching him, were you not?"

I shook my head. "I merely happened upon him while I was looking out the window, nothing more." I bit out the last part as I began to feel uncomfortable around this woman.

"I was just trying to make conversation; don't get offended, dear. I was merely curious. You can't blame a bored woman in trying to find something of interest in this drab palace, can you now?" she seemed to say with a hint of innocence, yet her aura read different.

"I guess not." I held out my hand, "My name is Bex Dei. I'm sort of a guest here."

The woman smiled in return and took my hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you Lady Bex. My name is Drusilla. I am a former counselor here, but they kept me because I was such a great help during my term, and wished for me to stay around in case I was ever needed."

I nodded my head at her to acknowledge what she had said, but in truth it was hard for me to concentrate on what she was saying since I began to feel slightly dizzy. "Oh, well that must be nice for you." I shook my head here, trying to knock out the fuzziness that blurred my outer vision. "Do you mind if I ask who you served before your term was over?"

"Oh no, not in the least!" Drusilla's voice rang out like a screechy bird, "I served under the former King's rule, King Heing." She said as she flicked her hand as if it was nothing big as she dismissed herself from the room. And when she did I noticed a mark that graced her left wrist

Suddenly feeling sick, I bent over to catch myself; the nauseas feeling consuming me when the realization of what Drusilla's mark was. It was the intricate symbol that is given to all numbered priestesses, like the one I was hoping to receive when I became the Tenth Priestess, only a simpler form of it. See, when you begin at the level of Tenth Priestess, you receive a small tattoo marking you as so. And as you progress through the stages of gaining higher honor, your tattoo would be added on, creating a more complicated image that belonged to the Sisters. Only the High Priestess is graced with the full image-like Aveda as of now, and Marcun, who was a former High Priestess who retired because of her age. But the image that Drusilla's image was not one of the High Priestess nor the Tenth Priestess, instead it was the image that marked her wrist was the image of the Third Priestess.

That's when realization came to me and how I was able to recognize Drusilla. It was Drusilla that was skipped over for High Priestess when Marcun stepped down, and choose the Fifth Priestess to take over; Marcun chose Aveda.

Everything was coming back to me. Drusilla and Aveda were novices together when they first entered the convent. Together they trained and performed their duties as young priestesses would, and they got along just fine. But it was during the time when I was abandoned by my mother that Aveda took me in, when in fact that she was just selected to be the Eighth Priestess. But declining those responsibilities to take on me; they selected Drusilla in her place. From there, their relationship became unstable; Drusilla soon became power hungry and did whatever she could to gain more- it didn't matter to her whether or not others got hurt in her process, just as long as she got what she wanted.

Aveda and Drusilla soon began to fight constantly, bickering over little things at first before it began to get complicated. I never witnessed these fights personally, Aveda would never let me be alone with Drusilla, fearing the worse I can only assume. But when Marcun announced to the convent that she would soon be stepping down, Drusilla did everything in her power to sway the council that she would be the best next High Priestess.

The council was never swayed and chose a surprised Aveda, who was too occupied with taking care of me, to even try to vie for the position. She was perfectly fine with the Fifth Priestess position. So she was completely speechless when she bypassed four positions to the top. Everyone was shocked, but no one more so than Drusilla.

I don't remember exactly what happened next, but I knew that Aveda came home one night, some time before her coordination, crying. She told me that she lost her best friend, but hoped that the Sisters would continue to watch over her and protect her. Three days later Aveda was marked as High Priestess of the Starr Temple. A week after that, war broke out between Hesrah and Mesuin; I was turning five at the time, and according to Aveda, it was the birth of the reign of King Heing.

Now, twelve years later, everything was coming together and revealing itself to me. All of this, the war, the pain, the lies; it was all Drusilla who started it all. And, it would all end with her; this was what Destiny and Fate had chosen for me to fulfill in my life.

Later that night, I shut myself up in my room, not taking any meals since I was so anxious about what I had to do and planning on how to accomplish it. Finally, settling down, I wrote a letter to Aveda, hoping that by letting her know of Drusilla's existence and what I have discovered while I was here. As well, I told Aveda that I was sorry for running away and not telling her of my plans sooner.

Aveda,

I'm sorry for the inconvenience that I have recently caused you. But please understand that what I did was only to protect Bex from a deeper heart break than what she was already feeling. As well, I was able to save Grant from certain displeasures in Hesrah.

But as I write to you now, it is not for your forgiveness, but to tell you that your old friend and rival, former Third Priestess Drusilla has take to reside here in Hesrah. I have recently discovered her and have learned from her own mouth that she was once the main councilor for the former King Heing.

As of late, I came across her-and I presume the former king as well- plotting against Hesrah's Prince Zach, who will soon be stepping into his full reign of king. I can only assume that they will harm him in order to take back the crown and reestablish their rule.

I fear for the worse, Aveda, for I have come into the confidence of the prince, who wants to end the war between our two people and form a peace. But as of late, the two of us have had a disagreement where neither of us are speaking to each other, so I am not able to tell him of what I have learned. But I feel it is mostly my fault, Aveda, since I believe that it was my temper that got the best of me, just like you always said it would. Of course, it is only now that I chose to acknowledge your wisdom and wish to undo the deeds that I have done.

That is why I hope that you can help me in some way, Aveda, because in truth, I'm scared and I don't know what to do. I have only been taught the ways of a priestess, not as a commoner nor Royal.

So please, Aveda, forgive me of my ways and let me know what I am suppose to do.

~Former Priestess, Cammie Daae

When I finished, I looked down at what I had written. There on the paper were three tear drop stains. I hadn't realized until now that I had been crying, but it made sense, I guess. Here I was asking for Aveda's help when I shouldn't have been, not after I had not only abandoned the convent, but her as well. I was a daughter figure to her, and I just left her without so much as a thank you letter for taking me in and rescuing me from my mother's departure.

Sniffing a little, I rubbed my eyes clear of the wetness that was in them and go up. I then proceed down to the stables, passing through the kitchen. Being sneaky, I slipped a small loaf of apple bread and sugar cookies out from under the cook's nose and snuck outside to my destination. From there, it didn't take me long to find the person who I was looking for, Newt.

I found Newt sitting out on the barrels, where I found him the first day I met him. Walking up to him, he spotted me and hopped off his seat and bounded towards me. "Bex, how are you today? Are you here to help me with the horses again?"

I smiled down at him before I knelt down to get eye level with him, "No, Newt, I'm not here to help out." His face fell, but just a little before I caught it with my right hand. Gently, I lifted his face back up to meet mine, "But I _did_ come to see you to ask a favor."

He smiled at me before it spread to my own face, "What is it that you need?"

Digging into my dress pocket, I took out the letter I had written to Aveda and handed it over to little Newt with care. "I need you to deliver this letter for me, Newt. It is very important that this is delivered immediately."

"I'll gladly deliver it for you!" Newt cut me off before I could go on. "So how soon do you want it there? Oh, is it for your fiancé?"

Shaking my head, I placed my index finger over his mouth, shushing him. "Shh, slow down, Newt. You still haven't heard everything that I want you to do. Now, will you listen before you agree to it?" He eagerly nodded his head. "This letter, Newt, is to go to the High Priestess Aveda in Mesuin. Now, I can get you in there with little to no hassle." I took my finger away to listen to Newt's answer.

He looked thoughtful for a moment before he looked me back in the eye, "I'll do it. I trust you, Bex, and I can tell it means a lot to you."

Smiling with relief, I hugged the boy in gratitude, "Thank you, Newt, thank you." I whispered out. Then I handed Newt the bag that I brought with me and gave it to Newt, "In here is directions to the city and a small supply of food that should get you through three days. And here is a ring that you can use as proof to get into the Starr Temple. Any questions?"

Looking into the bag and over the directions that I had given him; Newt just shook his head, "No, I think I can manage. Is there anything that you'll want me to bring back?"

"I don't know if I should expect anything or not." I said mostly to myself before looked back at Newt, "Just go and give the letter to the High Priestess. If she dismisses you, then come back. But if she should give you anything; protect it and return it to me."

Newt nodded his head, then he gave me a quick hug before he ran into the stable. From where I stood I could hear him saddle a horse. After a short period, I heard Newt ride off from the opposite end of the stable, heading towards Mesuin and Aveda. I just hoped that all would work itself out in time.

I then turned to head back inside the castle. Feeling watched, I looked up and noticed a figure in one of the windows. Since the window glared, I couldn't make out who it was. But I did know that they had been watching me, for the moment I saw them, then quickly left and let the drapes hang back in front of the window.

Sighing, I knew that whoever it was, it couldn't be good. If it was Drusilla or Heing, then they could probably guess that I had figured them out. If it was Zach, he would be thinking that I was trying to figure out a way home. Anyone else in the palace could think I was still pining after Grant. But whoever it was, I didn't really care. I just didn't like the thought of being watched, especially of what was going on between Drusilla, Heing, and Zach.

Bowing my head slightly, I sent up a quick prayer to Destiny and Fate, asking for their guidance through this mess. Then I proceeded up to my room to meet with Liz for my final fitting of my new dress.

By the time I made it up to, Liz was already there with my dress in hand and she was smiling like there was no tomorrow. "It's about time that you got up here! I was expecting you to bail out on me, since I know you really didn't want this dress to begin with." Liz handed me the dress.

I gave it a look of disdain. "I know you made it just for me, but can you seriously expect me to wear that thing?"

Liz was now going about the room, straightening up, "I have gotten you to wear other dresses, and I'm fairly sure with my skills that I can force you into that one. Now we can do this the hard way or the easy way. Which do you prefer?" She now looked at me in the eye, daring me to challenge her.

"Find, I'll try on the stupid dress once you tell me the truth." I shot back her.

She looked shocked and confused, "What truth is there to tell? I don't believe that I have yet to lie to you about anything, well as far as I know."

It was my turn to give her a cocky look, "Tell me what is going on between you and Jonas."

She blushed, "I don't kno-"

"Just tell me already." I huffed out in frustration, "Besides, I saw you two out in the garden after Zach and Jonas ran in on our little spat the other day. You two were kissing, I saw it, so don't you dare deny it!" I had her now.

Liz plopped down on the bed, "After Jonas ran out of the room, I went after him. I was afraid that I upset him again. It seemed like I was doing that a lot lately, so I went to apologize to him. I mean, we had be friends since we were kids, and Zach was our other playmate. But as of late, both of my friends had been drifting away from me.

"So I might have said a few choice words to Jonas the other day on his way to his meeting, complaining on how he was treating Zach. Of course Jonas would have none of the blame be put on him. And then I ended up lashing out on him for being a womanizer; things just got worse from there. So when Jonas ran out, I decided that I needed to apologize to him, and I did. Then he did, then we ended up forgiving each other and started to, um, kiss."

I raised my eyebrow at her, "Is that all?"

She shook her head, and slowly drew her left hand up to gently swoop the chain that rested around her neck. From there, I saw a small ring resting on it, "He asked me to marry him. He said he would give up all of his old habits if I would just say yes to him. He even offered to give up his position for a more safe one, just so he could stay at home with me." Liz continued to blush.

"Ok, that is what I wanted to know." I smiled at her. Then slipping out of my current dress, I quietly put on the one she made me. "So what do you think, Liz?" I asked as she turned back around to look at me. She didn't say anything; she just kind of stood there. "Does it really look that bad? I told you not to make me a dress!" I complained as I started to take it off again.

"No, stop. It looks really good on you, Bex, like you don't even know." I gave her a doubtful look. "Seriously, Bex, if I was a guy that was going to be at the ball; I wouldn't let anyone dance with you but me."

I just rolled my eyes at Liz before I faced the mirror. That's when I realized what Liz was talking about. The creamy white dress was fitted in the bodice with a slight corset appearance that was in the front and it was trimmed in gold. And it was sleeves, but it had three strands of small gold beads that hung loosely off of my shoulders; the skirt had a very slight poof to it, but not a very noticeable one with a few gold streams that flowed down the skirt.

In simple words, I looked like a goddess.

I held my breath and looked back to Liz, completely speechless in how to thank her for what she had done for me. Liz just stood there with her hands folded together, smiling with a slight tearful look to her eyes. "You look beautiful." She whispered out.

I then ran over to her and hugged her and together we cried quiet tears of joy. I came so close that day to telling Liz the truth. But it never came out, and it wasn't the time to push it. It would just have to wait a little bit longer.

The days soon flew by, and it was the day of Zach's coordination. The whole palace was in a complete uproar; the maids where on extreme cleaning routines, the cooks were going double time and the gardeners had to take care of both the gardens and floral arrangements. Everyone knew how important this ball was to be, and not a single soul was caught shirking their duties. Even I was getting on with the mad dash, helping out where I could, which only helped me get through the day. And soon the day flew by, and the evening was approaching fast, so fast I didn't see how I would find time to get ready for the ball. That was until Liz caught me by the arm and literally had to drag me up to my room.

"Honestly, Bex, you are supposed to be a guest here. And I find you here, helping the maids get their jobs done. Shame on you! Don't you know you are supposed to be waited on and treated like a princess?" Liz sang-song as she glided around my room to the shift robe to take out my ball gown.

Slouching, I sat down on the bed, "Liz, must you tantalize me so? I was bored, and everyone else was busy, so I thought I could help out. So what is so wrong with that?"

Liz then glided over to me, with the dress in hand. "Bex, dear, Bex, I'm not trying to make fun of you, but you are just too cute." She squealed in delight.

I rolled my eyes at her, "You are just fully hitting your marriage high, aren't you." I laughed out.

Falling on the bed, Liz burst into a fit of giggles, "Yes, I guess I am."

I lay back to look at her, "He really makes you happy, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, he really does." She sighed, "I assume just the same way that Grant makes you feel."

Gasping slightly, I felt my heart skipped a beat. I had forgotten all about my lie that circled around Grant, Bex and I. Even more so, I had forgotten that the lie was still between Zach and me. I felt sick, and not for the reason of keeping it to myself, but for the reason that I had yet to tell Liz of any of it. And she was the first to befriend me, not Zach. So how was it fair that she still has yet to know of any of it, and yet, the man that I at first hated- and later came to lov-, I mean appreciate did not only know of my secret, but had figured it out on his own, while Liz had not. it confused me so.

"Liz, listen, I have to tell you something." Liz turned to look at me, with bright eager eyes, and it broke my heart.

"What is it?"

I shook my head. If I told her now, then she would definitely come down from her high, and even possibly ruin the rest of her night. "Never mind, I'll tell you later. So do you think you could help me get ready?"I forced a smile.

She smiled brightly, "Of course. Now come on, it will take a while for us to get your hair just right."

Nodding, I got up to change, while Liz did the same since she too brought up her dress.

Four hours later, the ball was fully underway, and Liz and I and were completely ready to make our entrances. All we had to do was wait for Captain Jonas to come and meet us to escort us down. Leaving my room, we were barely out by three steps before Jonas appeared down the hall from us. Running to meet us, he gaze travelled to Liz and wouldn't even leave her. But of course, I couldn't blame him because she looked absolutely stunning in her periwinkle dress that wrapped around her in sheer elegance and was trimmed in silver. It was a halter top made that swooped low down in the front, but not too awfully low, and it was low cut down her back as well, showing off her fair skin. Then her skirt hugged her just below her hips before it dared to swish about her as she floated across the floor to meet Jonas.

She reminded me so much of the story of Lady Destiny where she found her beloved, Prince Mesuin of ancient times, masquerading as a priest to gain her trust so she would bestow upon him great gifts to help his kingdom from warring nomads. Of course, Lady Destiny helped him out, and later they bonded in union before he died years later, since he was mortal, leaving Destiny to mourn his death at her sister's side as they continue to rule and guide the lives of our people today.

"You look a-amazing." Jonas stuttered out as he tried to catch his breath as he took her all in.

Liz's cheeks turn a darker shade of pink as she looked at her finance, "You look good, Jonas. It's nice to see you in your dress uniform; it makes you look more sophisticated." She smiled ardently at him. Jonas returned her smile with one of his own, causing Liz's blush to turn a deeper hue.

"So, are you ready to go, Bex?" Jonas finally half way turned to look at me, but most of his attention was still focus mainly on Liz. Truthfully though, I couldn't really blame him, not the way he was completely head over heels for her.

"Yes, I am." I said humbly as Jonas held his right arm out for Liz and his left for me. And together we walked toward the main staircase where the guests were suppose to enter and be announced. At the top of the stairs, the three of us found Saosin; he was playing the temporary greeter for the night.

"Awe, I see two goddesses in your presence, Jonas, but I don't understand how that could possibly happen to you." Saosin joked with the Captain of the Hesrah guard.

Smirking, Jonas answered back, "Actually, Saosin, I am technically I am only in the presence of one amazing goddess tonight." Jonas then leaned over and gave Liz a gentle kiss on the lips, causing Liz to blush lightly again. Then the couple walked forward to be announced.

Saosin then looked at me, "And what about, Lady Bex. Do you not have an escort?"

I smiled at him, "No, I'm afraid not, Saosin. Jonas was going to walk me in as well, but I guess he got caught up a little in the moment." I laughed a little.

Saosin smiled at me, "Well then, Lady Bex, would you allow me the honors of being my escort for the night since it appears that Jonas has decided to abandon his duty to you?" He held out his hand for me to take.

Gently, I placed my hand in his, "Why, Saosin, of course I would be honored to have you as my date." Then together, we walked to the edge of the stairs and gave our names to the announcer. "But let's be honest, I was never Jonas's duty. And even if I was, I think I would be ok with the fact he is with Liz. They are just so perfect together."

Saosin nodded his head. "Yes, I was wondering when the two of them would end up together. I always assumed when they were younger that those two would pair off." He laughed here, "I guess I didn't think that they would end up this soon. I guess Liz found his weak spot and got under his skin."

I laughed at him, "I guess so, but by the way that Jonas chased skirts- or so said Liz- you would think that it would have taken longer."

Saosin nodded his head in agreement as the announcer presented us to the public. We, after our names were called, proceeded to walk down the stairs. From there, I finally took in all the amazing colors that the guests were wearing. It was one after another, and not a single one looked any similar to the one next to it. It was all so breathe taking.

"Remarkable, isn't it. I never thought we would get everything done in time for the prince's coordination." Saosin admitted. "Thank goodness Liz organized us altogether in time to ready this party for him."

I looked at the older man with a shocked face, "You mean to tell me Liz did all of this? And on top of all of that, she still had her own chores to do. I don't see how she could have done it."

"Neither do I, but she did." The Chancellor said, "Now, please excuse me, Lady Bex, I am being motioned over to talk to a particular group of people." Saosin then bowed and kissed my hand as he walked over to an older looking lady with a slight gleam to her eyes. I particularly noticed the old man's step had a lighter step to it as he made his way over to her. I had to turn away to hide the smile that was spreading on my face.

"That is Countess de Rosuis. Her and Saosin have been friends for as long as I can remember." A sudden voice said from behind me. Turning around, I found Zach dressed in royal garb that consisted of mostly dark blue and was trimmed in gold. In short, he was gorgeous while I was completely speechless. "Personally, I think de Rosuis and Saosin have a relationship that is a little deeper than 'friendship.' I just don't think that either of them realizes it or care to admit to it." Zach finished off with a smile, and not that cocky smirk of his.

I smiled back in turn, not really knowing how else to respond. Suddenly, Zach held out his hand for me to take, I presume. "Care to share a dance with me before I must spend the rest of my night up on that throne talking to stuffy lords and ladies?"

I looked him in the eyes, and I mean really looked him straight into his soul, trying to figure him out, "Do you really want to dance with a former priestess?" I asked.

"No, I don't. I want to dance with a lady." He countered back.

I assumed a shocked look, "Oh, so you wish to dance with the Lady Bex then. Is that it?" I gave the impression that I was angry.

Zach took a step forward, getting into my face, so only I could hear him, and no one else. "Actually, in fact, I want to dance with Lady Cammie, since I have not been blessed enough to meet the Lady Bex of Mesuin. Though I am sure she is a better dancer." He was smirking now.

"So you think the Lady Bex is a better dancer than what Lady Cammie is?" I challenged.

He took another step forward, "I can only presume that she is since she is engaged to Captain Grant. It is only fitting that one of such a high status learns the customs of her new come rank."

"I have you know, that Lady Cammie is a fabulous dancer." I spat out in frustration since Zach was questioning my skills.

"Then prove it." Zach whispered in my ear, sending a chill to run up and down my spine.

Before I could get another word in, Zach took my left hand into his right, and swiftly caught my waist in his in his other; he moved me with ease on to the dance floor, and together we began to swirl around the other couples.

"I told you Lady Cammie could dance." I mumbled out.

Zach let out a small chuckle, "So you can, so you can." We were then silence for the rest of the song, and the three after that one.

By the time the fifth song began, Saosin was at Zach's elbow, telling him that it was time to speak to the guests. Nodding his head, Zach bowed abruptly and left me on the floor to fend for myself. So I snuck out to the balcony to gather some fresh air; all of that 'dancing' had apparently gotten to me.

"Hmph, he's a rude little prince, now isn't he?" Turning around for the second time that night to a new voice, I found Drusilla standing at my side.

"Drusilla!" I said in a surprised tone, because in all of the commotion going on and the planning that was being perfected, I had temporarily forgotten about her and Heing. "What are you doing here?"

She then turned her gaze to face me, "Why, child, I was invited. Do you really think that I would have come if I had not?" She then gave one of her shrill laughs.

Inwardly, I shuttered at her, but on the outside, I wouldn't let my fear show, not fully realizing what she was capable of. "Well, of course. Silly me for thinking otherwise." I said in a low voice, trying to sound pleasant while looking for an escape route.

All of a sudden, Drusilla grabbed my left arm and jerked my back to look at her. Caught off guard, I stumbled toward her, but just enough so that I was facing her again. And this time, she had a mean glint in her eyes. "Don't ignore me, Daae! I know exactly who you are. You are Aveda's little brat, the one that helped her to worm her way up to the top- where I should have been. But no, the Council did not see me fit. Ha, that makes me laugh, because look at me now, only minutes from regaining the power that I once lost."

I yanked my arm free from the former Third Priestess, "If you knew who I was, then why didn't you say something soon? Are you really that much of a coward to not face me when others are around, or did it really take you that long to figure out who I was?"

Drusilla looked at me like I was merely dirt on her shoes, "No, I admit, I didn't realize who you were at first, but when I first saw you with your bow, I knew you had to be a priestess of the Sisters. And I was right, for only they know how to hold the bow in a certain way. And here you thought you were being clever in thinking that no one would catch on to you. Pssh, you silly little girl." She scoffed at me as she began to circle around me.

Conscience of her actions, I knew she was preparing to attack. "So why now. Why come out and tell me this."

"Because I know you know me, and it is not like I hid it at all from you. So here is your chance. Tonight, and only tonight I offer you what the Mesuin priestesses cannot, and that is power. Join me, Cammie, and together we can rule this kingdom and conquer Mesuin as our own. Together, we can become the most powerful force throughout all of the land, and no one will be able to stop us." Drusilla stopped her pacing, and was now in front of me, about six feet away.

Thinking, I looked down, before I looked back up at her, "What about Heing? I know that he is still alive and here. So what do you plan to use him for?"

She smiled, "I once gave Heing the same option as I am giving you now. And he made a wise choice in siding with me. Unfortunately for him though, he tried to be greedy and shut me away from the power I helped him to gain. So now, he is going to help me gain the power that he lost, and when he does, he will learn to never double cross me again." Drusilla finished off with a sneer.

I shook my head, "So you're just using him? And do you plan to do the same to me?" I decided to keep her busy, until someone would come out here to notice us. But I truly doubted that that would happen, since Zach had just begun his speech.

"Stop stalling, Cammie. I know what you are up to; I can see it in your eyes. So choose now before I lose my patience with you." Drusilla answered back in a sharp tone.

"Where's Heing?" I shot back in a tone mimicking her own.

Surprisingly enough, Drusilla just smiled at me, "Why, Cammie, he is just inside, watching his dear nephew give his speech. And believe me; Heing would not miss it for the world, especially considering the circumstances."

I looked at her in question, demanding that she elaborate more. "Oh, child, don't give me that look, you remind me of Aveda when I last saw her." I just continued to glare at the woman. "Fine, fine. Heing still has few loyal subjects that are hidden among the crowd as of right now. And when the prince is just about to finish his speech, Heing will give the signal, and they will attack. Maybe Zach will survive, maybe not. Who knows." She grinned evilly.

Suddenly, rage took over and I lunged at the woman."Call it off, or I will destroy you with my own hands." I threatened as we soon fell to the floor.

Drusilla laughed, and I mean literally laughed in my face, "Do you think after all of this time that I would actually give up that easily?" Then from inside, I heard a scream, and all hell broke loose.

Jumping up from the ground, I made my way to the ballroom entrance hoping to save Zach at any costs. "You'll never get to him in time!" I heard the wicked woman shout to me from behind, but I just ignored her and continued to run.

By the time I made it inside, the one quiet crowd had erupted into a chaotic mass. Confused, I didn't know where to started, so I figured that if I stuck to finding Zach, then maybe he would know what to do. The only problem in my brilliant plan was that I saw no sign of the prince at all. In fact, it was really hard to tell who was who in the ballroom since there was so much mass confusion. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I caught o glimpse of Saosin, so I maneuvered my way over to him through the hectic body mass.

"Saosin, Saosin!" I shouted, hoping by some slim chance he would hear me. He never did, and I lost him in the crowd, though I was positive that he was still with Countess de Rosuis. So now, finding myself being pushed and shoved in every which direction, I decided to head for higher ground. There I figured I would be able to estimate the damage that was done and find Zach before it was too late.

So once again, I found myself shifting through the horde of people, making my way to the throne platform. Once there, I caught my breath before I would go on, but it didn't last long, since I was pulled from behind a curtain that rested at the back of the future king's throne.

"Ahh!" I stumbled in the dark.

"Shh, it's ok, you're safe now." Came a familiar voice that I recognized.

"Jonas?" I asked as my eyes adjusted to the darker setting.

I heard him smile, "The one and only. You think that I would just leave you out there to fend for yourself?"

"No, I guess not. So if you're here, where is Liz?" I soon thought of my friend, feeling worried for her.

"Calm down, Bex, she's fine. Liz is just through the next room. I got her out of here before the chaos ensued. But I was coming back to help Zach when I saw you. I figured you would need me a little more than he at the moment." Jonas explained. "Now let's get you out of here." I nodded and followed him through a small door, one in which was built for secret guards to stand behind the Royal throne for, to protect their king easier.

When we got into the next room, I found that it was the same hall in which I had first encountered when I came to get Grant; funny how this castle seems to over lap itself at times.

"Bex!" I heard before I was soon ambushed by Liz. "Thank the gods you're ok. I was so worried about you."

I squeezed her back, letting her know that I really was fine. "No worries, Liz. I'm here."

"Alright, now that you two are fine, I'm going to go look for Zach. I saw him run after a man that looked like Heing, but I'm positive. So you two stay together, and keep safe." Jonas then leaned down and gave Liz another kiss much like earlier, but this time, there was more meaning to it. "And I'll be back soon, promise." Then he was gone behind the door again.

Not giving Liz much time to dwell on the fact that Jonas ran off to fight, I decided to recruit her help, "Liz, I need you to show me where the main armory is here." Liz not thinking too much about, nodded her head in silence and quickly took off; I followed close behind.

We then came to an old wooden door with dark brass hinges, "This is it." Was all she had to say; I walked past her and into the weapons' room. From there, I began my search of needed supplies: a bow and arrows and daggers.

Walking out of the room, Liz saw what I had and her eyes grew big, "What are you doing with those?" She practically screamed at me. "Do you really think that you can go and fight?"

I took Liz by the shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes. I figured that now was a good time as any to admit the truth to her. "Liz, I _need_ you to listen to me, and listen well. _My_ true name is Cammie Daae. I was raised by Aveda Daae who is the current High Priestess of Mesuin. I grew up in the convent of Starr Temple and met my childhood friend there, Bex Dai. As well, the two of us grew up together with another friend, Grant Zondi, who later entered the military. And in turn, he came back from it to marry Bex, but was soon captured. So I took Bex's place to save her fiancé. And I promise, I never meant harm in coming here, in fact I have grown to love it. So now I must go and save what I can, for I know the true villain here and can stop her."

I held my breath here, waiting for Liz to say something, anything. But she never did. So I took her silence as a sign that she believed me. So I left her there, and ran to find Drusilla, the main cause of Mesuin and Hesrah's contention.

Running blindly down the halls, I had not the slightest idea where Drusilla would hide until all the mayhem was over. But I knew that it had to be me to take her down, because it was only right that a priestess fight a priestess, and on top of that, when it came right down to it, we priestesses could really fight dirty if needed to be. So I thought I would only be fair that I take the brute of the cause and maybe give some in return.

While lost in thought here, I was once again grabbed and pulled in the opposite direction in which I had intended for me to go. Frustrated, I let out an irritable sigh before I let my left hand drop from sight to grab a hidden dagger that was on my person. But before I could make a successful stab, my left wrist was caught and stretched above my head as the rest of me was thrown against a wall.

"Owe, pain." I hissed at my attacker, letting them know that I was not happy with the treatment I was receiving from them.

"What are you doing?" Came an icy tone of voice.

Shocked, I looked up to find Zach's eye's starring back at me, "Oh, hello." I stupidly said to him.

He just growled at me as he let me go. "Just what do you think you are doing? Heing is running about here in the palace and here I find you with a dagger ready to cut me with and all you can say is 'hello?'"

I glared at him, "I wouldn't have a dagger out if you just came out and told me it was you. It's not like I'm suppose to know every single person who jumps me from behind." I retorted sarcastically, "Besides, you and Jonas grab about the same." I added the last part just to see his reaction; his eyes shifted into a cooler stare before going back to the original hue.

Zach just growled out at me before he spoke, "Listen, Heing is my uncle who use to be king, but he had to step down because the people of Hesrah no longer trusted him to rule. They said he was greedy for power, which I fully agree with while adding dangerous too. So please, do me a favor and get some where save and away from him."

"What if I promise half of that, will you be fine with that?" I asked, meeting his cold gaze with one of my own.

"What are you talking about, Cammie?" he whispered in a tone I wasn't use to hearing from he; it was hard to describe, like it was mixed with awe and worry, and maybe something else.

I took a step forward, just like the other times I had faced off with him to prove my point, "I promise to stay away from Heing and allow you to deal with him. But in turn, you must let me deal with one of my own." Zach didn't say anything here, but was quiet, allowing me to go on. "It's Drusilla, Heing's former chancellor. Turns out she is a former priestess that was a friend of Aveda's. It's a long and complicated story, but short version: she's the real problem and Heing is the puppet."

Zach shook his head, "No, I'll deal with Heing, and then I'll find Drusilla. I don't want you near either of them, do you understand?"

"Not happening, I'm sorry, but I am the only one who can fight Drusilla; we were both taught the same fighting methods, so it is only fair that we fight each other. Besides, you could never go up against her, she too cunning when she fights, I would know because of what Aveda told me, and on top of that, we priestesses are taught in a certain manner in which we could hardly ever lose. So please, trust me when I say I can stop her." I pleaded with Zach, something I thought that I would never do after the day I set foot in his palace. But something must have gotten to him since I saw his eyes shift again, but I couldn't really read it.

"If I let you go, you have to promise to come back." He said in a steady tone, his eyes no longer looking at mine, but following the shouts that were now coming from down the hall.

I nodded my head, "I will." I then turned to leave him, when he stopped me.

"I need…I need to tell you something." Zach said quietly, as he looked at me.

Turning around I ran up to him and gave a small kiss to his lips, "Tell it to me when I come back. It will give me something to look forward to." I then allowed myself to disappear from his view.

Sighing, I soon found myself running in an all too familiar direction. I had finally concluded where I would find Drusilla, the South Library. It was the only place that made sense. That was where I had first found the woman, it was where she first introduced herself to me, and more than likely, it was the place that she went to when she was chancellor to think.

Making the turn, I found myself at the library's entrance. Taking a slow, deep breath, I opened the double doors and walked into the dimly lighted room. "Come out Drusilla, I know you're in here!" I shouted out to her.

"Oh my, what is this; a little priestess far from home?" Drusilla spat out as she walked out from behind a shelving of ancient books with a bow and arrows. "Don't you know better than to go to places that you don't belong?"

"I know where I belong, and it is right here. The Sisters guided me here, and obviously, it was to stop you." I then whipped out an arrow and quickly aimed it at Drusilla's heart. But Drusilla was just as fast and took aim with her own bow and arrow; _fuuem_, SNAP! Our two arrows collided perfectly, causing ours to break.

We both were silent for a minute, then Drusilla smirk and shot another arrow at me. I barely had time to dodge- I had never seen anyone with quite so much speed as she possessed, nor accuracy.

"Give it up, Cammie, Aveda couldn't beat me, and neither can you." She said as she nonchalantly grabbed another arrow.

I peeked from behind the book case that I was hiding behind, "Obviously she was still better than you if she became the High Priestess, and the Council easily skipped over you to take her!"

_Fuuem, fuuem, fuuem_. Thwack!

Drusilla sent a fury of arrows at my head. Gasping was the only thing I could do before I had to duck again for my safety.

"You're trying my patience! Now come out here and face me like a true warrior would." Drusilla was becoming enraged, and I had hope that it would cause her aim to falter, but alas, it stayed just as accurate, just more arrows seemed to come.

Taking a deep breath, I grabbed two arrows and held them parallel in my hand and jumped out from my shelter and shot them off at the traitor before I slid myself behind another case.

_FUUEM_, thw-ACK!

"Ahh!" I heard her yell. I could only assume that I had successfully hit her or threw her off, but I was praying for the latter. "Why you little-" I didn't give her time to finish as I had two more arrows in my hand and slid out from my hiding spot and took aim at her again.

_FUUEM_. thwack.

I missed her that time, but I did manage to throw the woman off guard and I was able to see that I had previously hit her in the left shoulder, just grazing it.

"You're going to regret that!" She shouted out, but again I ignored her and grabbed two more arrows and jumped for case to case again.

_Fuuem_, SNAP!

I missed Drusilla because the woman had used her bow to literally smack down the arrows I threw at her. Now I was in deep, especially when she started to walk towards me. I began to panic. So I grabbed three daggers and a book from the shelf and ready myself as she was about to come to my aisle.

As she turned to look at me, I saw this wild crazy look in her eyes that threw me off for a second. Drusilla took aim and fired, as did I.

_Fuuem_, thwack! _Swoosh_, siss.

Drusilla's single arrow that was aim at me, I had blocked with the book. But with unfortunate circumstances, the woman had held my talent equal and pierced the book throw, injuring my left hand. I, alternatively had inflicted worse upon her. My first dagger flew over her head, the second grazed her cheek, and the third stabbed her left shoulder.

"You bitch!" she screamed out in fury and soon began to charge at me. Feeling my breath to shorten, I tried to calm myself and grabbed another dagger. But it was too late, because Drusilla was upon me and drew back her bow and swung it at my head. I ended up falling back more and my vision was blurring, but I knew I had to fight to stay alive, so I threw the dagger at her, but it missed for I heard it embed itself in the wall.

"It doesn't matter what you do to me, one way or another, you will _never_ have the power over Hesrah again." I spat at her in anger.

She took aim at me again with her bow, "You'll think twice before you ever mess with me and my ways to power again." I felt my right side of my face begin to bleed after her second shot at me. I just glared back at the woman with the best effort I could. Drusilla then put her arms up for another swing at me.

_Fuuem_, snap!

Drusilla's bow broke in two, and beside me was the arrow that did it. Looking up I saw Zach with the responsible bow and right behind him was, "AVEDA!" I shouted in happiness.

"No, it can't be. How could you have known?" Drusilla shrieked.

Aveda remained calm and drew two swords and took a fighting stance, "It's been awhile, Dru, care to share what you have been up to this last few years? Or would you rather deal with the future king of Hesrah?"

Drusilla then threw down the last of her arrows and bowed her head. Then Zach and Aveda ran up to us. Aveda took Drusilla away, saying that the guards were not too much further down the hall, and that left Zach and myself alone.

"I didn't know you could aim like that. The other day it seemed all that you had was strength behind the bow, and not much precision." I chuckled out, hoping to lessen the tension I was beginning to feel in the air.

But it didn't work too well since all I was getting the Royal was hard glare. "You told me you would be careful."

I winced at his tone, the cold one that I didn't like, "I don't remember ever exactly saying those precise words."

"Cammie." He said in a warning tone.

"I'm sorry. I know that I should have been more careful and _maybe_ I should have listened to you, but let's face it, Zach, I'm not one to sit around and wait." I admitted with a shrug of my shoulders.

The Royal nodded his head, "And I'm sorry too for not showing up soon. Turned out my uncle booked it out of here the moment he realized that his forces weren't as great as he thought they were." He chuckled out the last part and I soon did too, but soon stopped at something caught my eye.

"Oh, your hand is hurt!" And his was, as it was wrapped in white bindings that were drenched in blood.

Zach picked up my left hand and turned it palm side up, "As is yours, as it appears."

"But not as bad, mine in hardly bleeding. Drusilla barely pierced it."

He began to rub it gently with his fingers in a delicate way, "I wish she hadn't at all." Zach then bent down and softly kissed it with his lips. I almost melted right there, and I had no idea why I was suddenly feeling light and happy. I guess from the adrenaline rush that I had prier with the former priestess attempting to kill me.

"Hey, wait a minute. How were you able to use the bow if your hand was hurt?" I asked Zach randomly.

The Royal smirked at me, "Because someone once told me so candidly that practicing with a sore hand could actually help you in real situations."

"Is that so?" I smiled at him.

"Yes, it is." Zach then gathered my face in his hands, and kissed me full on the mouth. I was surprisingly happy to oblige.

The next two days consisted of the Hesrahin people coming together at the palace to celebrate the victory of Zach over Heing and his new found ally, High Priestess Aveda who conquered over Drusilla.

"So tell me again how you were the one that got to conquer Drusilla. I was the one that got the beatings from her." I complained to Aveda as we set together at a table during one of the late night celebrations.

"Stop your fussing, Cammie. I know what really happened, and that should be the only thing that matters." She took a sip of her wine.

I glared at my mother figure and took a drink out of my own cup but not before I said my thoughts loud enough for her to hear me. "Aveda the Wise now is known as Aveda the Glory Taker."

Aveda counter attacked me by eating a sweet dumpling from my plate.

"Will you two stop it?" laughed a voice to my left.

I turned to face her, "Why she started it, and you know it, Bex!"

My friend just laughed at me. Thus I stuck out my tongue at her.

It turned out that Newt was able to deliver my letter successfully to Aveda, who relayed the news to the rest of the convent, which included a stubborn Bex- who refused to marry Grant until I was back in Mesuin. So when the convent found out of what I had done, they all rushed to gather their things and traveled together to Hesrah to find Drusilla and make amends to Hesrah for her deeds. As well, Grant gathered his troops and brought them along to help the deed. So it really was no wonder that Heing ran away when he got the chance.

"Honestly, Aveda, how did you deal with these two while they were growing up?" Grant asked as he took Bex's hand in his and kissed it lightly.

"What are you talking about, Grant, you were the worst one out of you three." Aveda laughed out.

Tonight, while Hesrah and Mesuin were celebrating the end of the war, we also gathered for a double engagement party- Bex and Grant, and Liz and Jonas.

The following night was to be the Royal Crowning of Zach, officially making him the new king of Hesrah and officially marking a new era between our two peoples. Unfortunately, Aveda and the rest of the higher ranking priestesses would have to return to Mesuin to relay the news back to the people. I would be one of the priestesses returning home.

Zach decided that it would be best, now that everyone knew of my secret, and now that the war was over, there was really no need of me to stay behind. Me, not thinking of anything else to say, silently agreed with him. We hadn't spoken to each other since.

So here I was, sitting at a long table surrounded by my friends and loved ones that I had not seen in a long time, and I wasn't happy, and I couldn't understand it.

Feeling frustrated and cramped, I got up from my table and walked over to the other couple's table. Of course I found Liz and Jonas, but Saosin and Countess de Rosuis as well. No prince in sight.

"Cammie, how lovely you look tonight." Beamed Liz, for she once again had dressed me up for on last hoorah before I would be leaving in the morning. She said I owed her since I had not told her the truth about me earlier. I just smiled and agreed to do it for her.

"Why yes, Liz, she is a splendid sight indeed." Came the countess in a pleasant, humble voice. I thanked her politely, even though I was feeling a little exposed at the moment.

The dress Liz had made was another backless one that was held up my black pearl beaded shoulder shrugs, and the dress was the shade of pink champagne; and around my hips, rested a matching black pearl belt that flowed with the dress. It was gorgeous, and the way Liz did my hair just set it off perfectly; half of my locks were twirled up and the rest of it cascaded down my back or shoulders.

Liz then turned to Jonas, "Well aren't you going to compliment her?"

"Hmm, she looks nice." Jonas grunted out, though he mostly kept his eyes on Liz and any guy that was caught looking at her.

Liz in turn swatted Jonas's shoulder and just laughed it off, "Let's go dance. I can only sit still for so long." Jonas grinned and off the couple went. They were soon followed by Saosin and a blushing countess. And turning back to my own table, I noticed that Grant and Bex had made it on to the floor.

It turns out that both Grant and Jonas both have very competitive streaks, and their poor fiancés just kind of ended up in the middle of it, of both couples were having what appeared to be a dancing competition.

Sighing at the captains' antics, I looked back to Aveda who was laughing at them as well as Newt, who was her date for the night. It was good to see her like this. She hadn't been like this in so long, but I guess with Drusilla under wraps, she could go on with her life and continue her duties fully as the High Priestess.

Seeing that everyone was having some sort of fun, I decided to sneak off and enjoy my last night in the place that I had come so fond of, the South Gardens. There I went to the willow tree and sat under it, enjoying the silence that was around me, and the far off celebration that I could hardly hear.

"I'm surprised to see you here. I thought you would have been with the others celebrating." Came a velvet smooth voice.

"Hmm, no, I much prefer the quiet to the noise. It is so much more relaxing, well in my opinion that is."

"So it is." Zach then came and sat down next to me.

Sighing, we both fell into a comfortable silence, neither one of us daring to break it. So we just watched the lights coming from the ballroom, dancing across the lawn; and every once in a while we could make out shadow figures. Then from nowhere, the music got louder. Zach then shifted his gaze over to me.

"Care to dance?" he held out his hand for me. Smiling, I took. Slowly we began to sway back and forth to the beat of the music. "Are you packed for your trip tomorrow?"

"Yes I am, though I really don't have that much to begin with. I'm just taking back my things that I came with; there is no way that I could take back anything else. It's all unnecessary things that a priestess would need, such as the dresses Liz made me. They are much too extravagant for my duties that I hope to resume."

Zach nodded his head, "Yes, I see. So are you planning on leaving early?"

"Yes, Aveda wishes to leave before sun up. But then again, she has never been a morning person, so it would probably be right after sunrise." I smiled at the thought.

Falling back into a silence, neither one of us looked at the other. Then, my slipper catching a hidden root, caused me to trip. Zach, with his fast reflexes quickly caught me up in a bridal style hold. Blushing we were now forced to look at each other.

"I don't want you to go back." He admitted.

Breathless from my fall, I answered back, "I don't want to go back. I want to stay here with you."

Smiling, Zach hugged me closer to him and we finally had a kiss, one that beat both Jonas and Liz's passion filled one that they showed off at the beginning of the party, and the one that Grant and Bex had countered with.

Then he twirled me around, all the while keeping me in his arms, never letting me go. And for once I finally felt that I was where I was supposed to be; in Hesrah in the small town of Jnita in the Pyph Palace in the arms of Zach, the one that I loved.


End file.
